In fact, she sees My Friend Wallis as the beginning of an evolution where, “White Poppy is just the next step.” Inspired by world music, Krautrock and “really good pop melodies,” White Poppy’s first eight-song album is a collection of hazy tribal jams where Dorval complicates traditional ambient sound. Already described on the influential music blog, Gorilla vs. Bear, as being a “slightly poppier Grouper,” White Poppy takes rhythmic loops and drenches them in waves of drone and airy vocals. The result is a well-defined and consistent beat coexisting with soft and edgeless ambiance. Her lyrics add purposeful dimension to this haze. Although hard to understand, they bring narrative personality to White Poppy’s sound. Dorval explains, “I want my lyrics to be heard but I don’t like when they’re heard in the context of the song.” Although she spends considerable time writing them, Dorval likes the way they sound best when they’re “slightly layered under everything.” That everything being drone. As drone has gained popularity in the city, Dorval has found herself participating in somewhat of a trend. In the presence of local bands like Waters, the Passenger, and Hierarchies, it seems natural to pause and glance back on this movement for a moment. Dorval considers possible sources of influence and decides, “My ventures into drone music were more from
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just playing at home, just having my pedals and playing around with them.” It was only after she showed someone what she was working on that it was realized as drone. “Then I realized what I was doing was something already. I thought I was just playing around with pedals.” And the minimalist, unmoving harmonies of drone fit perfectly with both Dorval’s creativity and with her new distribution label, Not Not Fun Records. Although intimidated, Dorval emailed the L.A.-based company months ago and was both delighted and surprised to receive a welcoming response. It meant that I Had a Dream was the first in her career she didn’t have to arrange herself. She smiles, “It was pretty cool to see that materialize.” Contending highlights are her set at Sled Island earlier this year, where she was greeted by rain-soaked fans who had biked through the city for her show. Considering White Poppy’s young life and the enormous list of bands playing in the festival, Dorval knew how to spot a compliment. And with upcoming shows at the Waldorf on September 26, her seven-inch release at the Astoria on October 6, and a full-length release slated for late 2012 or early 2013, Dorval’s most valued memories may have yet to bud.
whether trAnspArent As A riff, soLid As A picture, or fLowing Like A video, dorvAL conducts ALL eLements of her Art confidentLy.