Dev
 

Can't believe there's no thread for Dev yet. I'm happy to start it up. She's a very interesting Dreampop/Electropop artist who I think deserves a larger following. She got famous for being sampled on the Far East Movement's "Like a G6." More recently, she reached #11 on pop charts in the US with her club track "In the Dark." Not a great representation of her work though, in my opinion.

Today her sound is similar to that of Imogen Heap or Ellie Goulding, maybe somewhere in between. Sometimes she reminds me of Colette Carr, too.

She writes or co-writes most of her music and her lyrics are often distinctive, testosterone-filled, and aggressive, to the point of strange. On the flip side, she can be soft and approachable. In this way her music represents both (and often competing or contradictory) halves of the female gender, so I find her very empowering to listen to actually. She has this happy-go-lucky weirdness and I relate to that.

Her first studio album, When the Sun Came Up, is actually great. Every song on the album is good, but specifically, I recommend these tracks, which offer some insight into her style and range.

"In My Trunk" is just straight up fun. I really enjoy this song. It's urban, it's wild, it's a bit off-the-wall. The vocals are said more than sung, and I think it makes it seem more sexy, actually. Not sure what "Got bitchez on deck and they're Mexican" is supposed to mean but wth it seems lighthearted enough. The song is probably satire all the same.



"Perfect Match" is soft and feminine. It just makes me happy in general. A little love song that picks you up and makes you feel like things are all right. Not exactly dancey, but upbeat enough that at least your heart dances a bit. I like it when the synthy string part comes in at around 1:00.



"Dancing Shoes" is a bit different actually, and it makes her sound so young and naive, which is a very lovely change of pace. It's a more introspective track lyrically, giving you the sense that the singer has overcome something, but it took a lot of confidence. A nice, positive song that really makes me feel just a little bit more brave. The concept of wearing one's dancing shoes is so cute. Great change of pace in the final third of the song.



Her most recent album hasn't officially been released I guess, but it should be here by now. It's titled Bittersweet July and so far, this song is the one I like best. So delicate and adorable, this it another great song that reminds me of the precious gift (all too often lost) that is love!



Any other fans about? If not, I hope you find something worth listening to from her, even if it's a bit bubblegum. Enjoy!