Atlanta Band Dot.s Releases Debut Album ‘Jellyfiss’

The group started as a solo project. Ryan James wrote the songs but he needed a female vocalist. That’s when Bonnie Hardie joined the project. Now, through a rotating cast of drummers, it’s become a five-piece group – combining acoustics, electronics and layered vocal harmonies. 

“Layered” is key when describing Dot.s’s sound. 

The new album was released on Atlanta-based creative group Deer Bear Wolf’s label, which has joined the tape resurgence and released the album on cassette. Digital and CD copies are available as well.

“I love tapes,” said James, referring to this special sound that cassettes have. “I’ve started recording to tape to get that scratchiness.” 

James records as he writes and, to finish a song, he has to focus on pulling sounds out. “There’s usually too much going on,” he said. “It’s easy to fall into that trap, especially when you are working alone and don’t have someone to say, ‘easy.’”

The first music track on the album “So Reticent” was a group effort – a rare moment as James does most of the songwriting. “Writing with the band was something I was skeptical of but ended up being my favorite thing on [the album], which was a sweet realization,” he said. 

The album features skits in between some songs. Think “Operation: Doomsday,” “Ready to Die” and most Outcast albums. 

“It’s such a cool way to create a cohesive narrative and art it up a little bit,” James said. In Dot.s’s skits, Dainty Loo Loo warbles over relaxing beach music. 

The album tells the story of an old man trying to remember himself. He knows he’s fallen in love with a woman, but he can’t remember her. Despite this, he doesn’t care because he’s happy in his old age.

“The whole narrative structure was him writing a letter to God saying, I don’t really want to go to heaven. I just want to stay here for a little bit,” James said.

The album is available on Deer Bear Wolf’s website. The “Jellyfiss” release celebration is at 529 this Saturday.