Label: doddleoddle
Released: 7th May 2021
The debut album from dodie is a surprising one. With two Top 10s under her belt as well as many sold-out shows, it’s hard to believe it’s only her first; it also showcases an exceptional writing style, delivered through her haunting vocal ability.
The album’s intimacy is like a series of diary entries; she even alludes to this in ‘When’. “I’m sick of faking diary entries, got to get it in my head I’ll never be sixteen again.” Her lyricism’s brutal honesty addresses everyone’s shared fears; that gut-wrenching feeling of speaking the unspeakable makes dodie relatable on a universal scale.
‘Build A Problem’ speaks to overthinking and creating problems where there might not be any; it’s what we all do, but don’t want to admit. By dodie’s own admission, she’s a work in progress. “When you go quiet I hate myself,” she sings in ‘Hate Myself’, speaking to her own insecurity. There might be problems (“Oh I think I was doomed before I began, sorry I just know the way that I am”). Still, she continually reassures listeners to not apologise for being themselves – and to learn from mistakes (“A heartbreak only means that it was worth it,” ‘Special Girl’).
Seeking to lighten the burdens of everyday life, dodie’s affecting style across ‘Build A Problem’ is a salve to soothe widespread worries.
