Listen to “JD’s tune/The Spring” by Mal Devisa
Mal Devisa can magnify her voice from a whisper to a wail over the course of a single word, and in the past five years, her diverse body of work has spanned sparse folk and experimental rap. The new album Wisdom Teeth is her most sprawling release to date, incorporating rock, rap, lo-fi beats, and an elegant rendition of a jazz standard. On the gorgeous opener “JD’s tune/The Spring,” she calls up a medley of memories and sounds that exemplify her eclectic ethos. The song is perfumed with vivid imagery: Descriptions of tear-stained collars, white oleander flowers, and boys with gasoline on their lips evoke an exquisite eeriness that’s mirrored in the instrumentation. As the music oscillates between clattering drums and restrained piano, Mal Devisa’s rich alto anchors the evolving sound. She glides effortlessly even as she spans octaves: “Will you remember me? I’m the pain when you leave,” she sings, leaving an impression that lingers in the air.