It’s quite refreshing to see how many people are talking about this North American chanteuse. Granted, this is not as “metal” as some of our readers probably hope for on the MTUK site, but given the new site (avenoctum.com) is marketed as a home for “atmospheric” music then I think Zola Jesus fits the bill to a tee. I fell in love with her 2010 album Stridulum 2; I took a total gamble buying it and ended up being on my stereo a great deal over the past year and it’s great that while she still remains relatively underground, she is getting some well-deserved recognition.
To the uninformed, I would describe Nika Danilova (aka Zola Jesus) as a darker and Gothier Florence Welch. Her clear inspiration from the likes of Siouxsie Sioux, Lydia Lunch and Diamanda Galas comes across in her transfixing vocal style, and while her operatic background isn’t too obvious it has left its mark in her rich mezzo delivery. The stronger associations with Gothdom make it difficult to imagine her garnering the same mainstream success as similar artists like Florence or even the more ethereal Natasha Khan (aka Bat For Lashes), but that can only be a good thing. Fleeting opener ‘Swords’ teases ones aural passages, swirling around before taking an effortless descent into ‘Avalanche’ where one is bowled over with dark, emotive vocals that bellow out over an intense drum-machine beat. Danilova sings with fiery passion, bearing her afflicted soul to the world with self-awareness rather than self-pity. The wretchedness in her voice is utterly spellbinding.
The industrial elements really spring out on ‘Vessel’, which is one of my favourite tracks on the album. Vocals trail beautifully over a delectably dark dance beat and the catchy sing-along chorus is full of miserablistic passion that will have any self-respecting Goth swaying along. ‘Seekir’ too has a strong electronic presence and a great dance-beat reminding me of early NIN. The violins on ‘Hikikomori’ add an extra layer of texture and I love the ethereality of this number; spectral beings floating eerily in the ambience. The violins do add a subtle symphonic nuance here but they never quite come to the fore, simply working to build depth and atmosphere from the background. The resonant wails on ‘Ixide’ are gorgeous and dreamy and this one in particular has me in a trance-like state.
There are some really strong melodies which cannot be discounted; especially ‘In Your Nature’ which really has me hooked. Just a year on from Striduluum 2, at this point there is little progression in ZJ’s sound although perhaps the electronica vibes come across marginally stronger in places. Another stunner of an album, ladled with atmosphere and a mix of gritty authenticity and ethereal charm.
http://www.myspace.com/zolajesus
Luci Herbert
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