Dubinski, an up-and-coming indie rock band from Edinburgh, released their newest single “Ciggy Burns” on March 20. The single confronts the sometimes complicated topic of self-talk, stressing how the way we speak to ourselves has the power to shape our mindset and behavior — whether it’s positive or negative.
The song starts off with a simple guitar rhythm before exploding into energetic drums as lead singer Eugene Gaine’s vocals come in, dripping with a sense of dark humor at times. As the song progresses, we alternate between chaos with crashing drums and a calm that focuses more on the lyrical delivery. This perfectly mirrors the internal struggles the song speaks of. Eugene shares more about the song’s message:
“Ciggy Burns describes the struggle between two internal voices, one cruel and controlling, the other fragile and easily manipulated. By the end, submission turns into resistance, and the quieter voice finds the strength to break free, highlighting how the way we speak to ourselves can shape both our mindset and our actions.”
Dubinksi really dives into these two sides, with lyrics like “I’m a fool born to lose / I’m the gum that’s chewed” hitting hard. We see the narrator’s growth throughout the single, though, and we listen in real time as they gain strength; the chorus notably switches from “I can’t get over it” to “I can get over it” in the final seconds.
With “Ciggy Burns,” Dubinski dives headfirst into what it feels like to finally break free from your own self-loathing and self-deprecation. They spared no emotion, making the beginning of the song as raw as it could be on the negative side, which makes the culmination of the strength at the end hit that much harder.
“Ciggy Burns” and their previous single “Back To Basics” are set to be part of their upcoming full-length project to be released later this year.
