Balderdasch is the adopted moniker of London-based, Irish artist, Jessica Matthews. ‘Balderdash’ was her late father’s favourite word to use when she was growing up in Cork, Ireland. However, Jessica slightly changed the spelling before taking on the name out of fear of being “sued by the board game one day”. Her work is co-produced with long-time collaborator, Pete Wareham (Melt Yourself Down, Nadine Shah, Beth Orton). Wareham’s experimental jazz background has aided in the nurturing of Jessica’s left-field sound and supported her fluid use of tempo. Balderdasch’s music is intensely driven by the lyrics, which stems from her love of folk music as a child, though now you’re as likely to find her listening to Denzel Curry or Confidence Man, as you are to Johnny Cash.
Her lyrics zone in on topics such as queerness, grief, and growing up, all told with a smart, self-deprecating humour. Balderdasch’s half-sung, half-spoken distinct vocal delivery, typically rests on off-kilter guitars, glitchy beats and spliced-up samples, all on a bed of often heavy synth bass.
