Baybs – Introvertigo (2020)
San Francisco musician and songwriter Craig Jacobs is the mind and voice behind Baybs. This musical project is based around songs written as a way to cope with an anxiety-riddled past in a positive way. He has now released his latest EP Introvertigo.
The title is a play on the words introvert and vertigo to express the constant mental spinning severe anxiety causes. Throughout the EP, Baybs looks at the constant turbulence and distress felt by people with generalised anxiety. The tracks also take on the feeling of chronic alienation from your immediate surroundings.
The first track on the EP is ‘Would You Dare’ and captures you with a driving guitar opening. This leads to Baybs’ deep vocals that have a dreamy folk vibe to them. The ebb and flow of his vocal performance is powerful and makes you listen. His vocals are also emotive with great changes to the pitch.
‘Sunchild’ has a bit of western flavour to it with the opening melody. You would not be surprised to hear this song on the soundtrack of a classic western movie. There is a great harmonising vocal performance on this track that adds a new dimension to the song. The lyrics of the track are poignant and worth some focus.
‘These Things In My Mind’ has a faster and more upbeat vibe to it. This vibe is a little at odds with the lyrics of the track which are not that happy. The fun beat to this track mixes with the melodic instrumentation to make it easy to listen to.
‘Drifter’ opens with some electric strums that lull you into the melody. There is a very dreamy and hazy feel to this track. The vocals are provided by Melissa Russi and are a perfect vehicle for the lyrics and overall feel of the song. There is a grand and expansiveness to the flow of this song that makes you drift to it. While this is the longest track on the EP, you will not notice as you flow with the melody and vocals.
The final and title track is ‘Introvertigo’ that hooks you with the acoustic opening. There is an airy thread through this song that adds a higher element to it. The lyrics of this track encompass the entire message of the EP describing the feeling of living with anxiety. While there is an airiness to melody, there is also a sombre tone that anchors it in reality.
Baybs expressing the constant struggle of generalised anxiety through the dreamy folk tones of Introvertigo. Each track on the EP takes a look at life with anxiety, but they are all unique which makes this a wonderful collection. The use of melodic instrumentation, airy vocals and some western tones make this EP a joy for anyone to listen to.
Find out more about Baybs on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
