As the gear up for summer 2022 begins, the usual anticipated slew of island summer songs is expected to be released and this includes new school reggae/dancehall fusion artiste Tessellated’s Contact.

Looking to heat up the airwaves with its smooth, roots-reggae flavour, Contact will be released on all platforms this Thursday (June 9).

The Pine and Ginger artiste, in explaining the song’s lyrics, noted that they were about a memorable first encounter with an unforgettable woman.

“Contact is about a woman who is so special that, from the first time you meet her, she is in your head non-stop,” the singjay explained.

The track will be accompanied by a colourful self-directed visualiser which was envisioned by the artiste. Taken as one continuous shot, the video will show Tessellated interacting with an intriguing cast of characters while walking along a picturesque path in the hills of the island.

Wanting to stray away from the exhausted topical-issues-styled-videos, the singer applied a concept he formulated some time ago.

“I wanted the video to have its own narrative along with some comical relief, without being too directly tied into the lyrics of the song. To me, it adds a layer where the video itself is a piece of art separate from the song rather than just something to go along with it,” he explained.

No stranger to working with visuals, Tessellated teamed up with tech company Apple on an ad using jazz/dancehall/hip-hop fusion song I Learnt Some Jazz Today. This went on to earn Tessellated an Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Commercial, and a #1 on the Billboard Jazz charts.

The track was co-produced by frequent collaborators, up-and-coming production duo Circa Eleven – Phillip and Mark Myers. This comes after the duo contributed to several songs on Tessellated’s debut project, Tropics Vol. 1.

With high expectations for Contact, the artiste shared how the song came to be.

“About two months ago I was in the studio with Circa Eleven and I asked Phillip if he wanted to try playing new guitars on the track because I wasn’t feeling the ones I had,” he started.

“I stepped outside for about 30 minutes to get some food and when I came back he had fully reworked the guitars and bass. As soon as I heard it, I was like, yes this is it. Sometimes other people bring a different perspective that’s needed.”

Now focused on expanding his catalogue by consistently releasing impactful songs, the artiste noted that he aims to also create unique and forward thinking accompanying visuals.

Along with his work as a solo artiste, the singjay has also worked in the capacity of a producer with the likes of Shaggy, Spice, Major Lazor, Jada Kingdom and Walshy Fire.