Description
"Never Exhale" is the sound of a band that never takes a break. DITZ have been touring relentlessly since the release of their first album, "The Great Regression" (2023). The songs on their latest offering were written across Europe, often on days off and in borrowed rehearsal spaces. One could say that the band treats recording and releasing music as an afterthought. They often play songs live years before release, tweaking them along the way. The songs on the final record can change before they are ever heard as part of the album.
"Never Exhale" was largely recorded at Holy Mountain Studios in London during a freezing January. The process was fraught with obstacles, as the original plan to record in Rhode Island was abandoned by the offer of a supporting tour with IDLES, although the album was still mixed by the original engineer, Seth Manchester (Model/Actriz, Lingua Ignota, Big Brave). The result is a work hardened by the pressure of its own creation. Laborious, but not loved.
The LP's themes reveal themselves upon repeated listens. From exploring what it would be like to weigh one's influence on the world, to Saint Peter, unnecessary hatred and division, aging, and the separation of the physical from reality. It's political, but ultimately personal. More Genet or Kafka than Orwell or Huxley. Sonically, "Never Exhale" has its roots in the usual DITZ influences, classic noise rock like The Jesus Lizard or Shellac, or the blunt post-punk of The Fall, but also brings in fresh influences. The closing track, "Britney," could be compared to Radiohead or Mogwai. Overall, the new album is a clear evolution from their debut. And a sign of things to come.
