It’s difficult to write about Dessa without falling into hyperbole. The singer/emcee and sole female in the Doomtree collective (which made this year’s excellent Wugazi mash-up), her first full length, A Badly Broken Code, resonates with the power and vibrancy of Lauryn’s Miseducation to these ears. See? Hyperbole. Castor, The Twin is the result of touring the songs from Code with a full band. The disc no longer held the same power to her, so she took the band in the studio to recut her favorites. She added a new song, “The Beekeeper,” the first single to her 2012 follow-up. Castor makes for a great entry point for newcomers and a new vision on already tread ground for fans. “Mineshaft 2” sums up her talents most succinctly. She’s as equally skilled a singer as a rapper, a rare enough feat to merit attention these days. These new arrangements have a tinge of indie rock to them and make you want to see it translated on stage, fulfilling the record’s purpose. This is essential music.
This article appears in December 13, 2011.