On September 26th, Daffo released their debut album, Where the Earth Bends, after years of Eps and Singles; the record continues their confessional lyricism while embracing a grungier sound. Gabi Gamerg – the voice behind Daffo – infuses their music an unfiltered honesty, exploring themes of guilt, love, loss, and notably, their experiences with an overactive mind. The 21-year-old singer/songwriter now shares their first full album, full of irony, bitterness, and unanswered questions.
Where the Earth Bends is heavy with self-exploration; the theme that threads through each song but is particularly striking in a select few. The second and third tracks, “Habit,” and “Carrot Fingers,” explore Gamerg’s experiences with an overactive mind, having been struggling with OCD for years. “Habit,” comments on the cycle of pleasure and pain led by overthinking, while “Carrot Fingers,” captures the intrusive thoughts that accompany an overactive mind through stark lyrics such as, “Could bite my finger off like a carrot/ If I was all alone, going hungry/ could I trust myself not to do it?”
Other confessional songs on the album navigate more universal ideas, based on emotional conflicts that Gamerg has experienced throughout her young-adult life. In the second-to-last track of the album, “Sideways,” they speak on their inability to voice their emotions, delving into communication anxieties and an internal fight with vulnerability. On the track, “Quick Fix,” Gamerg discusses the coping mechanisms they have developed for dealing with issues such as these. The album slows down here, straying from the indie-rock guitar riffs and drums to a softer melody, as they share their experiences from processed food to smoking to one-night stands.
Dog references have become a type of staple in the contemporary indie singer/songwriter world, however, Daffo manages to create a new and fresh image with two contrasting tracks. “Bad Dog” uses this metaphor to represent feelings of humiliation, submission, and power dynamics that can occur in a romantic relationship. They use lyrics such as, “Trained me to expect the best from you, submit/ Begging, drooling, hit me with a shoe, I’ll sit,” to evoke feelings of entrapment through emotional domination. However, through its companion track, “Go Fetch,” they switch the narrative within power roles, showing this dynamic from the opposing perspective, chanting lyrics such as, “He greets you when you get back home/ like it’s his life purpose.”
Daffo explores a variety of other themes, shifting the album in a darker direction through tracks such as “Unveiling” which explores the death of family members and grief, or “Dagger Song” which mourns the loss of a close relationship. The lyrics of the album themselves and heavy and full of depth. These tracks lean towards the softer side, unlike many of the other songs on the record, utilizing slow piano melodies to accompany their confessional lyrics.
Daffo’s clever irony contrasts the deep, vulnerable moments of the album beautifully, as their unique voice sways through the textures of the tracks. With hooking rock openings, folk-like confessions, and soft acoustic ballads, Daffo shows their range on their debut record. With a unique voice and lyricism, but with room for improvement so soon in Daffo’s career, Where the Earth Bends earns a rating of 3.5 stars. The album is full of honesty, angst, and what it means to be human; this strong impression guarantees Daffo as a rising star in the indie-rock scene.
