After completing two tours for Billie Eilish and the 1975, Dora Jar is now set to headline her very own tour. Her recent release “No Way To Relax When You Are On Fire” is an album illustrating the confusion and excitement involved in self-discovery and young adulthood. It documents love, loss, introspection, and imposter syndrome, in a way that is incomparable to any other artist I have listened to in the past.
The opening track “This Is Why” evokes a feeling of nostalgia. With its whimsical elements– Dora Jar’s whispering falsetto, and lyrics about standing in puddles and “bouncing on a beetlebum”- the song manages to establish an eerie comfort that lingers long after the first listen.
The second song “Timelapse” opens with a question that echoes “Who am I?” Jar harmonizes over herself as she breaks into spoken word verse recounting her days. She sings about barely recognizing herself as she progressively gets overwhelmed. The theme of this struggle carries into the standout track, “Debbie Darling.” With its dreamy vocals and rippling guitar, this song envelops listeners with a comforting ambush of sound sustained by heavy piano chords and rumbling bass.
The pace shifts with “Ragdoll,” featuring skittering drum beats and fast-paced guitar. Dora Jar’s signature falsettos contrast with a rapid bridge that transitions into synth and guitar. Although its meaning remains somewhat elusive, it feels like it’s intended to imply themes of resilience through the imagery of being treated with the same reliability of a ragdoll not falling apart at the seams.
“Smoke on the Window” is another synth track but does not feel as heavy as the previous tracks did with bouncy arpeggios and crashing cymbals. Not attempting to take itself seriously, this song feels like an internal monologue that was brought to life.
“Cannonball” adopts a folk-inspired form. With drumming reminiscent of running, this song propels itself forward. Whimsical vocals and plucked guitar blend with imaginative lyrics, setting a scene with stage directions and imagery of sailing, lions, and performances.
“No Way to Relax When You Are On Fire” is my personal favorite. It opens with dreamy guitars and immediately picks up pace with drums and Dora Jar’s breathy vocals. Guitar through the chorus and they swell with each repetition. She illustrates a projection of a person she imagines kissing on a fire escape under a starry night on New Year’s Eve. Comparing this person to a landslide, this song manages to contrast moving instrumentals with the chaotic emotions of desire, creating an impactful listen.
“She Loves Me” follows with hard staccato coming from every direction except vocals. There’s an uncomfortable dissonance as she vocalizes squeaky vibrato until what sounds like a clock ticking introduces the next song.
“Puppet” is another fan favorite. It was performed during her opening act for The 1975 before being officially released, and it solidified me as a fan of hers. It felt whimsical and fun live, but the production in the final version brings this song to an entirely different level. With breathy belts and screaming guitar panning around the track as it sweeps and swells, this song has so much to offer. Bells twinkle while synth thrusts you in the center of a complex whirlwind of squeals, assonance in unorthodox lyrics and vivid imagery, making it hard to keep track of every detail of this song that makes it so unique.
“Sometimes All Ways” feels like three separate songs tied together with the same chorus. Using strings as the primary vessel in the first section, it carries familiarity with folk and rock, but later transitions into a drum-vocal centric echoey expansion of sound.
“Behind the Curtain” staccatos synth and almost sounds robotic. It is a diversion from anything else on this album, leaning more into an EDM club hit rather than the rest of the album. In contrast, “Devil Eye” leans into guitar and bass but with a slower, jazzy drum. An element of gentle keys is at play, providing an underscore rather than an overtone. Dora Jar’s vocals feel comforting but cautious. There is something off-putting about the somewhat off-key repetition of “Devil Eye” throughout the chorus. When the robotic elements are removed, the repetition of the lyrics cascade off of the verse, dipping in a round with herself. This song feels like defeat in its tone, and realization in its lyricism.
“Holy Water” ends the album with a simple guitar track depending on imagery to communicate a lack of self. It uses religious allegory as a means to describe innocence and simplicity, but a means of comparison between having a purpose and finding purpose. It feels vulnerable, like she’s lost in her art, but loves it too much to quit.
This album thrives on imagery and a general dreamy soundscape. It’s a coming-of-age album of self-discovery and fulfillment. This was one of my most anticipated albums of the past year, and I could not have loved it any more if I tried.
