Whim at White Eagle Saloon on Nov. 2, 2018—click to see more photos by Anne BarrettAt 14, singer-songwriter Sarah Isabella DiMuzio began writing her own songs filled with lyrics for herself. Three years later, DiMuzio headed to Fluff & Gravy Studios and recorded her first EP, Small Infinity, under the moniker Whim. As the years went on and she created more music, her songs began to appear in movies and television such as The Funeral Guest and MTV’s Catfish. After a brief residence in Ireland, DiMuzio returned to Portland, where she made the decision to write a full-band LP with John Shepski and Juniana Lanning (of Vacilando) on percussion, lead guitar and bass.
This record, titled Abuzz in the Abyss, is an indie pop album with upbeat songs that get listeners moving while also incorporating ballads that make one simply sway side to side. It is also filled with profound lyrics that are up to the listener to interpret. “I don’t share the ‘true meaning’ behind my song lyrics,” DiMuzio says. “I prefer people to harbor their own attachments to the lyrics and what they might mean.”
Whim’s newest single, “Brick Walls and All Their Secrets,” is ripe for interpretation. More fast paced, this tune makes you feel ready to tap your feet with its first beat. Once the chorus hits, more instruments join in and it feels lively.
This particular song came about while the singer was in Nashville and she happened on the Sony/ATV building downtown. As a self-described “music publishing fanatic,” she felt starstruck. Feeling the urge to get inside the building, she was lucky to find a Starbucks attached. While she sat there, feeling “hella caffeinated, super inspired and completely invisible,” she took out her notebook and wrote down all the thoughts that went through her head. With brick walls all around, she got the impression that these bricks were hiding something, holding many secrets of the music industry.
The third release off the new album, “Brick Walls and All Their Secrets” gives listeners an idea of what the coming album will feel like. This record, written from when she was 20 to 23, covers the “emotional turmoil and physical trauma [she] experienced during that time,” DiMuzio tells. Listeners may get to know Whim personally through her lyrics, and this single—a “chameleon” that's sonically camouflaged while still being bold—is the perfect way to do so.
