DITZ – Never Exhale Review

Noise rock from Brighton feels slightly alien. For a place which gave us The Kooks and Rose Elinor Dougall of The Waeve, not to mention The Housemartins alumnus, Fatboy Slim, it feels like a shock to the system to receive something punchier, harsher, from the coastal city. Turn to DITZ. Their second record, Never Exhale, is a three-year gestation of learning new tricks of the trade on stage, packing up their van of goodies and great sounds, and hitting the open road once more. Those jerks of life can be found in this continuation of their hardcore-like, noise-rock brilliance. Opener V70 builds slowly, depending as it does on the doors of a Volvo being slammed shut. What comes next is a drone-like experience which cements the band as a promising mix of confident tones and thrilling instrumental spectacle.  

An extraordinary opener promises a sense of all-encompassing change. It is exactly what Never Exhale offers. Boisterous and explosive instrumental power is the best part of Never Exhale. There is plenty of it. An industrialised roar of heavy guitar work, of smashing percussion and the rot around us put to no-nonsense wordplay by Cal Francis. Truly monumental the whole way around and a welcoming, heavier album for those who may be on the fence about something so heavy. Never Exhale may be brutal in its position but the overwhelming sense of unity, of hope found within, is never lost on DITZ. Taxi Man and Space/Smile blur into one another with such an outpouring of spirited feelings. It is easy to mistake shouting for rage but Never Exhale is often a tender work, particularly on snail-stepping struggler Senor Siniestro, a song which suspends the guilt brought by stepping on those we perceive as lesser than us. Colleagues or adversaries, we crunch them under the boot for a shot at achievement.  

Those disgusting socio-political starts, the microscopic metaphors of fish against the tide, prove to be suitable ammunition for Never Exhale. What few lyrical shortcomings there are, the instrumentals make up for in great abundance. Something like Four has its instrumental swagger to depend on. Their noise rock choices come to a head on God on a Speed Dial, a plainer song which hopes the aggressive frontman performance is enough to carry it. It is, but the change of tone is a sign, especially on Smells Like Something Died in Here, that DITZ is running out of steam. A need to refuel and toy around with the abrasive yet insightful imagery heard previously is desperately heard in the latter stages of Never Exhale, which remains a strong album even with this straight-to-the-point lull.  

Still for those moments at the start of Never Exhale and in the instrumental efforts of The Body as a Structure, there is an incredible album. Monotone deliveries on The Body of a Structure plays well with a desire to be pure, to throw away what we perceive as unnecessary. Minimalism taken to a violent extent, to a place of gothic horrors and heavy rock dominance. A staggering isolation is at play through Never Exhale, this intake and intake soon lead to dramatic reworkings of what we once found light in. Album closer Britney has Francis trace the smudged lines of where a lover once was. Powerful writing, and brutal instrumental sections which leave plenty of space for that sweet spot of personal growth and shame, it is all to play for with this strong DITZ release.