Jason Balla's solo project, Accessory, has found new purpose in recent months as the guitarist and singer of Chicago's DIY band Dehd juggles his increasingly chaotic life. The Buffalo Grove native first introduced Accessory in 2018 with a handful of one-off singles, using it to symbolize "a companion" for himself.
In November, Balla released two diffused shoegazey singles, "UMS" and "Do You?" - the result of getting a self-made recording studio in his Little Village apartment up and running and finally being able to catch his breath. The new material has found its way into Accessory, which continues to push boundaries with its experimental sound.
Balla's latest work on Accessory is inspired by recent global events, including Operation Midway Blitz and the death of Steve Albini. He drew inspiration from a clip of Albini's message for a friend who was struggling in school, which touched his heart with its pure human compassion.
When working on Accessory material, Balla often collaborates with other musicians, including those from Chicago acts Deeper, Desert Liminal, Matchess, Bnny, TV Buddha, and Meat Wave. This expanded lineup allows him to explore different areas of sound and learn more as a musician.
Balla has been experimenting with new techniques in his home studio, soldering equipment and building his own preamps and compressors to self-produce music. He's also expanding his art skills, creating artwork for both Dehd albums and Accessory singles. A new music video is currently underway - an ambitious project that may take precedence over holiday celebrations.
Despite the chaos in his life, Balla remains driven by a desire to create something meaningful with Accessory. His approach is bold and unafraid of taking risks, making him one of the most exciting emerging voices in Chicago's music scene.
In November, Balla released two diffused shoegazey singles, "UMS" and "Do You?" - the result of getting a self-made recording studio in his Little Village apartment up and running and finally being able to catch his breath. The new material has found its way into Accessory, which continues to push boundaries with its experimental sound.
Balla's latest work on Accessory is inspired by recent global events, including Operation Midway Blitz and the death of Steve Albini. He drew inspiration from a clip of Albini's message for a friend who was struggling in school, which touched his heart with its pure human compassion.
When working on Accessory material, Balla often collaborates with other musicians, including those from Chicago acts Deeper, Desert Liminal, Matchess, Bnny, TV Buddha, and Meat Wave. This expanded lineup allows him to explore different areas of sound and learn more as a musician.
Balla has been experimenting with new techniques in his home studio, soldering equipment and building his own preamps and compressors to self-produce music. He's also expanding his art skills, creating artwork for both Dehd albums and Accessory singles. A new music video is currently underway - an ambitious project that may take precedence over holiday celebrations.
Despite the chaos in his life, Balla remains driven by a desire to create something meaningful with Accessory. His approach is bold and unafraid of taking risks, making him one of the most exciting emerging voices in Chicago's music scene.
) Jason Balla is like "I got this, I've got my studio and my collaborators" [GIF of a person juggling multiple balls](
)
) Inspiration from the master himself! Balla's music is like "I'm not just making music, I'm spreading love and compassion" [GIF of a hug](
)
) DIY vibes all the way! Balla's self-produced sound is like "I'm on top of my game" [GIF of a trophy]
It's inspiring to see him taking risks and pushing boundaries, even if it means juggling multiple projects at once 
. Only wish I had my own DIY studio to jam out in... but for now, I'll just have to pretend I'm Jason Balla, being all experimental and stuff 
! He's not afraid to take risks and try new things, which I think is so inspiring 
. His latest work is so emotive and honest, especially with the recent events in Operation Midway Blitz and Steve Albini's passing 
he's been through so much lately and still manages to create something as beautiful as 'ums' or 'do you?' 
those shoegazey vibes are everything! i love how he's pushing the boundaries of sound with this experimental project... it's like a companion to his own life struggles, and that message from steve albini at the end is just... *chokes up* 
anyway, can't wait for more music vids or collabs - dehd's got some amazing musicians too! 
what do u guys think of the new accessory stuff? 
. I'm totally stoked for what's next - a music video? That sounds so ambitious! 
Does anyone know more about the collabs with other musicians? Like, who else is part of this expanded lineup? 
plus, the fact that he's collaborating with other musicians from different Chicago acts is like, exactly what the music scene needed - some fresh faces and new sounds 
i'm low-key excited to see where this project goes next... holiday plans, who needs 'em? 
and then you realize you left the stove on for 20 mins already... anyway, what's with this operation midway blitz thing? sounds super intense 
It's amazing how he's able to balance his time between Dehd and Accessory - it's not always easy juggling multiple projects. And those collabs with other musicians from Chicago acts are giving me life! 
. Can't wait to check out that new music video 
!
And I'm loving his DIY approach to music production - it's all about experimentation and learning. Reminds me when my kid was into Legos... you never know what you're gonna create until you start building! 
i love how he's experimenting with new techniques and collaborating with other talented artists in the Chicago scene 
it's gonna be interesting to see what this new music video looks like though, i hope it doesn't overshadow Dehd's upcoming holiday shows 
️ anyway can't wait to dive deeper into Accessory's sound and explore all the new sounds Jason's conjuring up