Dexterity’s ‘Vessel’ is an expansive and ambitious new single from Sarah Dexter and her backing band. An explosive barrage of intertwining time signatures, beastly guitars, acrobatic bass, and some of the most very versatile drumming. One of the most engaging pieces of alternative rock that we’ve heard for months.
Based in Dublin, Ireland, Dexterity is an alt-rock outfit fronted by Sarah Dexter, backed by Adrianna Matthews on the bass, Alex Rose on the drums, and guitarists Cian Somers and Nathan O’Maoilearca. ‘Vessel’ is the band’s latest single, inspired by the trans experience of Sarah Dexter, the song explores not feeling right in your own skin and wanting, in a way, to change the vessel. The song does this through extremely engaging songwriting that blends prog rock with elements of alternative, and even sometimes metal.
The intricate song structure is a testament to the band’s exquisite musical gifts, and their outstanding musicianship in coming up with a song that’s as nuanced and as expressive as ‘Vessel’, with its multiple sections, time signatures, riffs, attitudes, and even sonic characters. The 5-minutes song takes a number of different guises throughout its runtime, changing from progressive and complex rhythms to bittersweet, haunting, and minimal melodic sections, all done with efficiency and a pretty good deal of dexterity.
‘Vessel’ is a showcase of exquisite musicianship from Dexterity. A band with a unique sonic identity and a wholesome blend of genres in their rich sound, Dexterity’s debut is promising.
