If FKA Twigs had taken a hard left from industrial synth, touched down in the deserts outside L.A., and ended up somewhere in the middle of The XX recording their first album, it would undoubtedly sound exactly like DEAREST. The L.A. area quartet made up of Samson, Tessa (vocals), Erik, and Nate, blend whispery vocals, mellowed acoustics, and rippling bass to create hypnotic tracks that whip up sonic dreamscapes you’ll trip over yourself to get lost in. Their latest offering, “Beacon,” premiering here, does not fail in its transportive perfection. It’s almost as if you can imagine them sitting far in the middle of a desert around a flickering bonfire and singing until the last drop of heat leaves the air leaving you shivering in the darkness. The visuals are easy because the sound is inspiring in its simplicity. It’s not easy which makes DEAREST one of my favorite under-the-radar acts this year.
Photo provided by DEAREST, taken by Tessa.