New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Dessa releases album 'Chime', following the release of highly praised singles; the NPR and Billboard-approved pop anthem 'Good Grief' and the rap-driven 'Fire Drills', her latest single, the Complex-premiered '5 out of 6' is the study of an emotional binary, with rhymes that pummel and explore the place where compassion and strength coincide.
Produced by Dessa herself with the help of fellow Doomtree crew members Lazerbeak, Paper Tiger, and Cecil Otter, as well as Grammy-nominated composer, Belle and
Sebastian and Taylor Swift-collaborator Andy Thompson, 'Chime' is her most powerful release yet, sonically, lyrically and emotionally - NPR called the new effort one of 2018's most "hotly anticipated albums". Producer and Doomtree cohort Lazerbeak and Andy Thompson worked to create and refine the album's sound; opening track 'Ride' is a darker cut, the previously mentioned single 'Fire Drills' was crafted from a snippet of an iPhone field recording Dessa captured in Turkey. Elsewhere 'Half of You' is infectious, up-tempo pop number, while latest single '5 out of 6' features an unusual looping riff that gives way to a gale-force chorus. 'Chime showcases Dessa at her finest—she's fierce and tender, deft, and passionately curious.
A member of the Doomtree crew, Dessa has made a career out of bucking traditional genre designations - from rapping at Lollapalooza and Glastonbury, to co-compositions for a 100-voice choir, and a top-200 entry on the Billboard charts for her album 'Parts of Speech'. In 2017, she made her orchestral debut, selling out two nights with the world-class Minnesota Orchestra. She also co-wrote an episode of the chart-topping podcast 'Welcome to Night Vale', and was tapped by Lin-Manuel
Miranda to record the song 'Congratulations' for Billboard's #1 album 'The Hamilton Mixtape', which amassed over 5 million streams. She also contributed to his recent benefit single for Puerto Rican relief efforts, 'Almost Like Praying'. Her cover of The Mountain Goats' song 'Balance' was recently released, as part of the collaborative project 'I Only Listen To The Mountain Goats', co-created by Night Vale Presents and Merge Records.
Growing up in the 80s in South Minneapolis in a musical family, after earning a philosophy degree, Dessa began competing on the slam poet circuit, where she connected with members of the Minneapolis rap scene. Invited to join Doomtree, the hip-hop collective known for bold production, charismatic lyricists, and explosive live shows, Dessa learned from and contributed to the collective ethos - a gritty, DIY attitude - Doomtree members burned their own CDs, booked their own shows, wrote their own bios, and designed their own t-shirts. She was also one of the singers in Gayngs with fellow Doomtree P.O.S, the super group consisting of 22 musicians, including Justin Vernon of
Bon Iver and members of Poliça. The songs on Chime are the product of Dessa's unusual trajectory: she's part academic and part rapper, flute player's daughter who spent her formative professional years touring the world in a van full of guys.
As a writer, she's been published by The New York Times Magazine, The Star Tribune, and broadcasted by Minnesota Public Radio. She went on to publish two literary collections of her own, and is set to release her first hardcover collection with Dutton Books in the fall of 2018. She's been covered by Pitchfork, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal amongst others, with The LA Times praising her "sounds like no one else." The Utne Reader calls her a "one-woman powerhouse."
Dessa is set to bring her live show to the UK in
Spring where she will play Birthdays in London on 19th April and Soup Kitchen in Manchester on 20th April.
• UK Dates: 19th April, Birthdays, London - 20th April, Soup Kitchen, Manchester.
