If It's a Broken Code, Don't Fix It

(No news in this one -- I just had to write about this album I heard.)

I'm a bit particular about the music I listen to.  It's taken me many years to even consider listening to music from genres outside my usual preferences.  And today I found one that knocked me out.

What I know of today's rap and hip-hop artists would fill a mighty short blog post, but I'm going to fill this one with praise for "A Badly Broken Code", by the singer-rapper Dessa.

I first heard a few bits of Dessa's record on an NPR feature a few weeks ago, and at first I didn't think a lot about it.  But snippets of the sound kept rolling around in my head, with snatches of melody and attitude that just stuck with me.  I finally dug in a bit more and I have to say this record is exceptional.

To begin with, a couple of things about the artist stand out.  First, Dessa is a woman, so this record is already unusual given its place in the male-dominated hip-hop arena.  Indeed, she is the sole female member of Doomtree, a Minneapolis-based group of rappers and producers that she works with.  No worries though.  One track on "Code" calls out a warning to her crew-mates, "Forget the bull in the china shop, there's a china doll in the bullpen", with enough attitude that you are sure she holds her own among her boys.

Second, the midwest is not exactly hip-hop Mecca these days, so a record without all the East Coast -  West Coast posturing is refreshing.

Now the focus of rap is always on the words.  Beats, samples, and arrangements usually sound like a cheap afterthought, which is why I usually find a lot of hip-hop really boring.  There's nothing to a lot of it that would carry it in your head.

But Dessa's mix of confident singing, spoken word performance, and melodic composition has a grace and power to it that drives every song on the album straight into your brain.  The Doomtree producers have given her a backdrop of beats and music that add textures and sounds that propel Dessa's words to the forefront and never get in the way.

And her words are so rich.  It's amazing what a university education will do for a songwriter's ability to craft a lyric.  This is one woman who lays out personal stories in her songs without fear, and never once asks for sympathy from the listener.  Even her quick tribute to her Doomtree family is sincere and heartfelt without ever sounding goofy.

"A Badly Broken Code" is an outstanding debut from an original artist.  I'm already looking forward to more.