Two Feet In Concert
Good luck trying to categorize multi-instrumentalist Bill Dess, who records evocative music under the moniker Two Feet. In a reflection of his diverse tastes—the Harlem-raised artist grew up on hip-hop, pop, and jazz, as well as film score composers such as Ennio Morricone—his music is a rich tapestry of eras, influences, and moods. Bluesy guitar licks might collide with trap beats and sinewy synths on one song; on another, sparse arrangements and jazz-inflected rhythms serve as a backdrop for soulful, sighing vocals.
Perhaps even more impressive, Dess is the architect of these intriguing sounds. As a young student, he played upright bass in the school orchestra and practiced guitar for hours a day, which helped him develop a fluid, blues-inspired style. Eventually, Dess started making beats for friends while also crafting his own tunes. In 2016, he uploaded the jazzy electro-blues song "Go F*ck Yourself" to his SoundCloud account—and watched as it racked up more than 8 million streams within a few days.
Dess harnessed this momentum with his debut Two Feet EP, ‘First Steps,' and an equally mesmerizing follow-up EP, 2017's ‘Momentum.' Although these tunes drew favorable comparisons to Chet Faker and Glass Animals, Dess is working tirelessly to carve out a unique niche for himself. That's most obvious during Two Feet's performances; the musician approaches these concerts as if he were a solo singer-songwriter, strapping on a guitar and adding live licks over his beat-heavy electronic backdrops.
This commitment to authentic sounds and emotions has paid off. In 2018, the single "I Feel Like I'm Drowning," a wrenching blues-soul song about feeling trapped in a relationship with an unpleasant person, peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart. Two Feet followed that up by landing an opening slot on the North American leg of Panic! At the Disco's 2019 Pray for the Wicked tour, stopping at venues like Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia.
