24 April 2026
With 2023’s Radical Forgiveness, it definitely felt as though Bel Cobain was expressing herself to others. On her new EP Kizzy, it feels as though she is talking to herself. Kizzy’s themes deal primarily with the fissure of relationships – whether that be with other people or herself. Bel gets us to trace these fraying ties within the smoky, but slightly more varied, world of her signature sound.
Her rock influences are rendered more apparent here. For example, ‘Kills Me’ eschews percussion to serve us some folk rock fretboard work that keeps a virility in the sonic backdrop to Bel’s rasp. ‘Am I Dumb’ lays bare the rock-tinge too, opening with a jerky drum groove and a tightly ominous bassline. They combine to form a rolling rhythmic texture that intertwines with Bel’s masterful introspection satisfyingly.
‘Hard To Leave’ starts off with some warm keys until Bel breathily declares “I want to please you. I want to work it out so I can’t leave you”. As she ascends to her head voice, a tight side-stick groove enters, forcing you to nod in sync. Bel’s diaristic quality makes itself apparent straight away. This is what makes the thematic material so interesting; it is about connections between people, but very much through Bel’s stream of consciousness. For example, she sings “it’s too tough for me to leave. The door was even open for me. No excuses I’m a coward, baby. No surprise I get no flowers, baby”, which feels like the kind of admission we only make to ourselves in our own heads.
‘Fucking City’ was released in February and has been on repeat for me ever since. Bel explicates the failings of an ex-lover, managing to render colloquial realism whilst hinting at loftier issues like social isolation, misogyny, and mental health. Isolation is explored via a strong sense of place, with Bel singing “I’m so lonely in this fucking city. So many bodies, but still no one to hold me down”, assimilating London’s isolating anonymity with the oxymoronic feeling of loneliness whilst being in a relationship.
What is most striking here is the speech effusive rap from the perspective of her ex-partner’s mother. It is a truly breath-taking moment that handles the messy correlation between motherhood, morality, and loyalty with despondent observation rather than judgment.
The hushed ‘Mind is a Dancer’ suggests the electronic jazz of Swedish band Koop, as the structure steadily builds in intensity until it dissipates, and the instrumental dwindles to a whisper. ‘Change’ hypnotically lulls in 6/8 time as she plays with a Heraclitian proverb in the chorus: “the only thing promised is change, but you stay”- exploring similar themes to that on ‘Hard to Leave’.
Although well-produced and a development of her sonics, what is most impressive here is the honesty with which Bel takes us into her psyche. I mentioned the diaristic quality of her lyrics earlier, and the intimacy Kizzy forces you to experience feels almost, at times, too personal, too intimate. But doesn’t the best art make us feel uncomfortable? Day-to-day, the most common dialogue we have is with ourself and, with bravery and intelligence, Bel allows us to reflect on how honest we are with ourselves, and how honest we are about our relationships with each other.
4.5/5
Words by Charlie Edmondson