2024 saw Derry duo Tessio round out a breakout year packed full of festival slots and radio play with a self titled debut album that justifies the attention the pair have been receiving. An 8 track project abundant in stories that harness the sound of modern Irish folk music whilst blending in a small collection of alternative influences.
The main talking point of the album is naturally the guitar playing and vocal delivery. The pair play fantastically and their vocals sound as though they were meant to be together. In an album where both elements are so exposed they have to be executed perfectly and they have certainly succeeded in just that.
The sheer talent on display carries me through most of the album, although as it progresses I do find myself longing for a some more prevalence in additional instrumentation. There are some gorgeous synth sounds hidden within the mixes and I would love to hear more of that. As a pair who play guitar and sing it does make sense that their first album would showcase the duo for what they are, perhaps album two will see their sonic world begin to expand.
The standout track on the album is ’She Used To Love Me’. It perfectly captures a feeling of longing and was an understandable single choice. ‘I Don’t Like It’ and ‘Hang It On My Back’ are another pair of highlights that lean much more into the roots of Folk than any others on the album. The placement of these between meandering finger picked guitar tracks help to keep the album feeling fresh from song to song and provide a welcome boost of energy.
All in all Tessio have delivered a fantastic debut that is true to themselves and features some of the best song writing on the Island. Whilst sonically I may long for more I do understand their choices. The pair have created an authentic folk album infused with modern indie quirks that drag it into the 21st century resulting in a very pleasant listening experience.
