Zola Jesus – Lick the Palm of the Burning Handshake
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Nika Roza Danilova needs a foil. I say this without wanting to play into the stereotypical lineup for electronic music groups: she sings, he makes the music. After all, for one of her strongest efforts, she collaborated with fellow art-songstress LA Vampires to craft an EP of lo-fi gothic dub. But with her upcoming album Conatus, it’s clear that she could use a co-conspirator to bounce ideas onto and take the occasional edit. It’s not that these songs are long; they average at four minutes. It’s not that they’re not moving; her voice always soars.
But she deserves a sharper edge and a wider, wilder production palette than the plane she’s inhabited for the past few releases. And her lungs are such powerful instruments that they often overpower her words—regrettable when you remember just how affecting they can be. Part of me longs for her eventual move past the trappings of this goth persona, and there are hints on this album (and elsewhere) that she’s ready. Conatus does pack a few sonic punches, like the cataclysm at the end of “Vessel.” On the track shared here, she’s working with herself, layering her vocals for walloping impact. I’ll be listening while waiting for her to blossom in a Lykke Li-style transformation.
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Zola Jesus – Lick the Palm of the Burning Handshake [download] [buy from Sacred Bones]
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