Dehd is a three piece indie rock band from Chicago, having been formed in 2015. The band consists of members Emily Kempf, Jason Balla, and Eric McGrady.
History
The creation of the band in 2015 is a result of Emily Kempf and Jason Balla's desire to go on vacation at the beginning of their romantic relationship in 2015. Balla and Kempf, who had been musicians with Chicago-area bands NE-HI and Lala Lala, respectively, reasoned that going on tour would be the best justification for travel. Later, Balla and Kempf recruited their mutual friend Eric McGrady, a first-time drummer, in order to socialize with him.
''Dehd'' and ''Fire of Love'' EP
In 2016, DEHD released a nine track self-titled album, via the label Maximum Pelt. This was followed by a 6 track EP, Fire of Love in 2017, via Infinity Cat Recordings. During the summer of 2017, Balla and Kempf ended their romantic relationship, but opted to continue to make music and tour together In an interview with the publication Noisey, Kempf recounted the emotional toll that the post-breakup tour took on the band, stating "There was lots of sobbing...it was pretty intense but we would just get on stage and nothing mattered when we were performing.
''Water''
Dehd released their second LP Water on Fire Talk Records in May 2019. The writing process for this record was emotionally fraught in light of Kempf and Balla's breakup, with Kempf noting that the band did not discuss the lyrical content resulting from the band's stream of consciousness writing process, and in some cases only realized their interpersonal meaning after the recording process was complete. The New Yorker referenced this strife, quipping that "To listen to the group's new album, “Water,” is to feel sorry for Eric McGrady, the innocent bystander destined to drum through crossfire: the band has outlasted the relationship, leaving behind a trail of bittersweet melodies and lyrics alluding to lost possibilities." The track "Wild" from Water was featured in the third episode of season two of The CW series Charmed DEHD toured the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France in October 2019, in support of fellow Chicago act Twin Peaks.
''Flower of Devotion''
Flower of Devotion was released in July 2020, having been pushed back from a spring 2020 release date as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The album was met with widespread critical acclaim, with Pitchfork granting the release a "best new music" designation.
Dehd's sound is characterized by reverb-heavy guitar, blunt drumming, and the use of idiosyncratic vocals, which include drawls, call-and response, yelping, and frequent use of counter-melody. Commentators have compared the resulting spareness of the sound to the genre of post-punk, but additional comparisons can be made to wall of sound, surf rock and dream pop. Jason Balla has cited Cocteau Twins, Broadcast, and Cate Le Bon as influences, while Emily Kempf has referenced the works of James Brown, Roy Orbison, and Dolly Parton as having shaped their musical approach.
