Ears Wide Open: DeQn Sue

Daiana Feuer on November 20th, 2015

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Within its first 10 seconds, “Bloody Monster” hits more genres than a food court. Equal parts whimsical and incensed, L.A. artist DeQn Sue wrote the song in response to a racist comment from her roommate. With handclaps setting an aerobic tempo, it’s a most upbeat treatment of the whole what did call me?—oh no you didn’t issue. “Bloody Monster” appears on an EP titled “Snack,” produced by Kelvin Wooten, consisting of four songs and a remix that showcase many sides of DeQn Sue. One moment she’s sweet, then kooky, theatrical, and all original, making for a satisfying romp through the alternative poppy fields. “Calimazoo” is nice, with its island sway. “Aspire” sounds straight out of a musical, and then “Glass” plays with glitch. The Alabama native’s eccentric soul got her an unofficial runner-up nod this year from the Tiny Desk Concert contest by NPR, who combed through 7,000 applicants and just couldn’t resist bringing her in to perform anyway.

||| Listen: “Snack” EP