Review: Zola Jesus :: Arkhon

Even Jesus is said to have felt lost in the face of his impending death: “God, my God – why have you left me?” If that’s the case, Zola Jesus can probably also feel lost. Even if you won a lot of problems. “Lost” is the name of the opener of the sixth studio album by Zola Jesus, whose real name is Nika Roza Danilova – and as a second-generation American, she has Russian and Ukrainian ancestors.

? Buy ARKHON at Amazon.de

For her pop, in which one can hardly tell whether it’s still noir or not already gothic, the opera-trained Zola Jesus has chosen interesting comrades-in-arms for the sound purgatory this time – not just a Slovenian folk choir, but also the great Matt Chamberlain , who has drummed for almost everyone who has rank and name (Bob Dylan, Fiona Apple, Elton John), but above all is a long-time member of Tori Amos’ live band. And as a producer she’s brought in Randall Dunn, who has previously worked with the metal drone masters Sunn O))) but also with ambient icon Jóhann Jóhannsson.

It suits the (in the best sense grotesque, almost hellish) gloomy sound. Only the melodies are sometimes a bit too predictable, pardon me, audible. All in all, a risk in the context of pop. The spherically reverberated vocals are ultimately more uplifting than devastating. By the way, ARKHON is Greek and means something like the power that according to “Star Wars” might be with you. And you can only wish that from the bottom of your heart to everyone who is still (or already again) lost.

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