Basht. - ‘Dirty White Lies’ Review: A prodigious collection forming the most electrifying debut EP in years
Dirty White Lies is the debut EP from Dublin five-piece, Basht. Released March 21st via Our House Online [Freak Slug, ELI, OhEm], it’s a momentous introduction to a band ready to take the world by storm and a faultless example that rock n’roll is far from dead.
★★★★★★★★★☆
Credit: Conor Blaides 📸
Crowned “One of the most exciting young rock bands to emerge in Ireland in aeons” by Hot Press and dubbed “Your new favourite band of 2024” by ourselves, the hyped Dublin indie-rock outfit has quickly become one to watch. Basht. are Jack Leavey (vocals), Louis Christle (bass), Sam Duffy (guitar), Rossa Healy (guitar) and Luke O’Neill (drums).
After a string of singles and live performances, Basht. have laid all their cards on the table, doubling down on their sound with a flawless confidence for what’s next.
Dirty White Lies was produced last Summer (2023) with Thom Lewis (Sam Fender, The Staves), in Newcastle while on a break from the Wunderhorse tour. The band came together after noticing their live sound was beginning to move away from their initial tracks. Jack Leavey himself described the process with Thom as ‘an experience in itself’ and said ‘his expertise added to the quality’.
The EP is a tumultuous journey of toxic love and abusive relationships, told in two distinctive parts. Dirty White and Gone Girl are pent-up, chaotic and fiery, full of hopeless promise and sacrifice, evocative of a love rush. Whereas Wild Horses and This Isn’t About You unlock the gates to a progressive and expansive sound full of introspection, realisation and detachment. While these two halves differ sonically, in line with the changing narrative, there’s not a moment you’re nothing less than entirely captivated, enthralled and absorbed into the twisted world unfolding around you.
Frantic opener Dirty White introduces us to the yearning for a toxic partner, begging and surrendering to the lies (’Now I’m sitting on the floor at the end of your bed, with my head on my knees and my hands on my head’) while also acknowledging the behaviours the protagonist may also exhibit. That maturity has remained consistent since Never Love, and this track particularly is a roaring example of lyrical prowess. That bridge alone will have crowds in a frenzy once they’ve learnt the words.
Lead single Gone Girl, which was named the ‘arrow-head of the EP’, is a thrilling, unrelenting and head-thrashing rock banger detailing the painful nature of growing up and navigating your way through relationships. Similarly to early Bloc Party and Arctic Monkeys, there’s an urgency to the tempo, with guitarist Rossa Healy stating they wanted to ‘capture the intensity of the emotions felt in the lyrics’. The track cements Basht. as one of the most exhilarating new bands to emerge in recent times, we previously described it ‘nothing short of spectacular’.
When talking to frontman Jack, he elaborated:
‘Gone Girl tells the story of two (kinda) young people who grew up in a small town or a small city. One of them wants to leave, and the other wants to stay and it’s (kinda) like the fallout that comes with that…when someone does decide to leave. And even when they do come back, it’s not the same as it once was, you know?’
Without a doubt, the biggest track Basht. has released comes next, Wild Horses. It’s received high praise at live shows while being road-tested and is undeniably the clearest indication of why this band is going to take the world by storm. Courageous, daring and striking is putting it lightly - even prodigious doesn’t give justice to the ambition soaked into the bones of this one. Some of the biggest rock bands on the scene haven’t crafted something like this in a while and would kill for something on this scale.
While the tempo is initially turned down, the instruments and spirit certainly aren’t, building to a deadly guitar solo and a sprawling finale that have you dissociating so hard you’ll need a moment to come down. It’s our standout from the EP, and if you’ve not heard it live, make it your mission to change that immediately.
This Isn’t About You completes the narrative, as the protagonist completes self-reflection (’Well I’m seeing colours clearly again, not crying lovers tears amen’), beginning with a Marr-like riff giving you a chance to snap out of Wild Horses’ mesmerising spell. Following a similar style, it’s slower and the instruments play a supporting role to the words. Knowing when to bring the band to the forefront is a skill Basht. have mastered considerably early on, a talent often found in musicians who are particular and dedicated to their art form.
Ending the project with ‘this isn’t about you’ feels somewhat poignant. It’s short and abrupt but deep-down full of certainty. For the band, there is one thing for certain. The pursuit of perfection in the studio has paid off, and what comes next will be a testament to their combined creativity.
:: Round-Up ::
Telling the story of toxic and abusive love, from desperation to realisation, Dirty White Lies is a faultless example of why Basht’s trajectory will continue to skyrocket in 2024. It’s a prodigious and remarkable collection of stories, forming the most electrifying debut EPs we’ve heard in years. Without question.
Stream the EP on all major platforms, and catch the band on tour now as they play Dublin, Galway, Manchester, London, Glasgow and Leeds.
Now, it’s your turn. Give it a spin, and tell us what you think on Insta or X.
Rating: 9/10
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