Biography
A long-time contributor to Bulgaria’s left-field music scene, Desislava Andonova graduated from Sofia’s National Music School and went on to be a part of a diverse array of bands including Scam, Plastic Hi-Fi and Phuture Shock, winning MMTV’s Album of the Year with the latter for ‘Playback’ in 2002.
Between her Sentimental Swingers project and international features on tracks with Deekline & Wizard (Botchit & Scarper, 2004), Ils (Distinctive Records, 2005), Mr. Moon (Duffnote, 2011) and Maylay Sparks (self-published, 2012), Desy has also featured on releases for Papa Records (remixed by Richard Earnshaw) and Get Physical (together with Heikki L and Katerina). Add to that her countless eclectic DJ sets, and you begin to understand why Desy has continued to gather critical acclaim, while establishing herself as one of the country’s most innovative artists along the way.
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With the arrival of her long-awaited debut solo album ‘Audiobook’ fast approaching, Desy released a string of singles, including ‘Misery’, ‘Lovin You’ and most recently ‘Back Then’, with all three charting on the Bulgarian National Radio Top 20 weekly countdown. ‘Back Then’ was accompanied by a poised and intimate video directed by Tihomir Rachev, and featuring Elena Telbis and Ovanes Torosyan, two of Bulgaria’s most recognizable young actors. Two more singles are on the way, as ‘One of the Stars’ will receive its own video at the end of September, directed by Marii Rosen, followed by Tihomir Rachev’s take on ‘I Know You Care’.
In an effort to give the audience a curated selection of personal experiences, Desy was mindful of each one of the 10 tracks that eventually made their way into ‘Audiobook’. The result is an intoxicating blend of contemporary neo-soul, jazz and funk with hints of hip-hop and garage evident among its influences, and a product that speaks of a dedicated collective with a distinct vision. Dynamic, alluring, radiant yet at times dimming into obscurity - the layered and attentive essence of ‘Audiobook’ is hard to ignore, as are the vast emotional expanses stirring beneath it.
The cohesion and audacity of the recording process manifested itself through the brilliance of several long-time collaborators - Vassil Voutev and Bojidar ‘Trombobby’ Vassilev (bandmates in DAYO) handled much of the arrangement and post-production, while also playing drums and trombone/synths, respectively. Dimitar Gorchakov (keys) and George Donchev (double bass) also played a major role on the album, joined by special guests Petar Yotov (guitar), Roko Zahariev (trumpet) and Linda Mancheva (cello). Hristo Rachev from Sound Ninja Studios assisted with mixing, the final mastering was done by Bruce Templeton at Microphonic Mastering, and the album’s cover art is the work of Angela Pencheva (Parallel Dimensions). As part of the build-up to the album’s release, Desy and her band performed at Varna Jazz Days 2019, Dixie Jazz Fest and the Nišville International Jazz Festival, among others.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.