Crystal Dorval's music as
White Poppy is a fuzzy, soothing blend of dream pop, post-punk, and ambient music, which the artist has referred to as "therapeutic pop." This description especially fits
Paradise Gardens, her fourth Not Not Fun release, as its lyrics address personal troubles more directly than any of her previous recordings did. Opening tune "Broken" has a driving, upbeat rhythm and layers of ethereal vocals, yet the lyrics aren't as easy and carefree as the music might suggest: "There's a hole in my head, guess I'm better off than dead." "Hardly Alive" cuts even closer, with lyrics discussing depression and lack of motivation: "Excuse myself for feeling sorry, it's just a part of me left over from tragedy." "Orchid Child" sounds gentle and breezy, but the lyrics are defiant, with Dorval insisting that she won't let anyone tell her how to live her life. Instead, she finds freedom within her mind and her environment, and her insistence on following her dreams and believing in herself is what drives the entire album. Not all of the songs are quite as emotionally heavy, and there are even moments that are actually quite playful, particularly when the excited cry of a dolphin pops up during "Something Sacred." Dorval uses the term "new age shoegaze bossa nova" to describe the sound she was going for with this album, and all of those notions come together during the hazy sway of "Rainbow," which could just as easily be described as a trip-hop song. With
Paradise Gardens, Dorval finds the strength to acknowledge darkness instead of feeling trapped by it, resulting in some of her most healing, self-empowering music. ~ Paul Simpson