Indie Pop Group the Dø Walk a Fine Line with Cover of "Tightrope"

The Dø (pronounced “doh”) is an indie folk/pop duet whose sound is as diverse as their members’ nationalities. The band is comprised of two members, Olivia Merilahti, who hails from Helsinki and Dan Levy, from Paris. The two collaborated to release their first studio-produced album, A Mouthful in 2008, which went on to top the French charts and earn rave reviews from critics. Their sophomore album, Both Ways Open Jaws dropped in 2011, and garnered much critical acclaim and audience attention. The Times even went so far as to call it “a late contender for album of the year”.

Citing influences that include Jimi Hendrix, Ella Fitzgerald, Eminem and The Wu Tang Clan, the Dø’s sound is incredibly varied. With elements ranging from classical to hip-hop, the Dø defy classification, as they prove with their cover of Janelle Monaé’s “Tightrope”, a song that once claimed the position of number eight on Rolling Stone’s Best Singles of 2010 list. While the original starts out fast and upbeat, the Dø cover builds to its climax slowly and, clocking in at just over nine minutes, includes an instrumental featuring sliding electric guitar and pulsating drumbeats. The vibe varies from blues to rock to a few things in between, and is tied together by Olivia Merilahti’s excellent wailing vocals, sure to become a fixture on the indie pop scene.