KFOG Studio Sessions are presented by Marin General Hospital, proudly delivering exceptional care in a healing environment.
Composed of husband and wife duo, Dexter Tortoriello and Messina Messina, Houses’ haunting electronic ballads are akin to a deep sigh after a long breath.
The band originally started after the two met in Chicago where they quickly decided to move to Hawaii to live off the land. While living off the land and practicing sustainable living they began writing music together. The songs written then would soon become impetus for their first album. After three months they moved back to Chicago where Dexter would refine the material they had created.
Tortoriello and Messina moved to LA in 2012 to work on their sophomore album, A Quiet Darkness, which was written around sounds collected from abandoned houses on the side of California’s highways. Following the album’s 2013 release, the band then took a hiatus as Dexter wanted to start focusing on ghost writing for other musicians. However, Tortoriello found the rules of that world cumbersome and recently the band has come out of their respite for a US and Canada tour on heels of their new 2019 single Fast Talk.
While the bands first record focused on swelling choruses soaked in dreamy reverb, their second record was grounded more in traditional songwriting as Tortoriello and Messina’s voices and lyrics became more prominent in their work. Regardless the music always seems to have an air of wonder and love likely stemming from the couples 10 years together.
“I’ve been with this guy for 10 years. He’s the love of my life,” Messina said. “I’m just so happy to be up here playing with him. It’s just such an honor to watch him grow and develop in his profession and and to be able to join that is really amazing.”
Houses joined us for a KFOG Studio Session where he played for a few lucky KFOG radio listeners. KFOG Studio Sessions are exclusive live music events for KFOG radio listeners; the only way in is to win tickets!
Listen to KFOG on-air and follow @KFOGRadio on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) for your chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Winners get to see an intimate live set, and meet the musicians after the show.
Check out recordings of previous shows here.