ZOLA JESUS ‘GO (BLANK SEA)’ REMIXED BY SKIN TOWN, REMIX EP OUT IN NOVEMBER

ZOLA JESUS   ‘GO (BLANK SEA)’ REMIXED BY SKIN TOWN, REMIX EP OUT IN NOVEMBER

Zola Jesus’ latest single Go (Blank Sea) receives a fantastic reworking from LA duo Skin Town, who lay down dark yet scintillating synths as a bed for Nika’s powerful vocals. Nick Turco of Skin Town explains his inspiration when doing this remix: “Years ago, I had the chance to produce with Nika in our project Nika + Rory. With this remix I tried to return to that hyper-melodic, busted-boombox radio synthscape feeling.” The single comes from the critically acclaimed album, TAIGA, out now on Mute.

Hot off the heels of her transcendent US performances and an appearance on Later… with Jools Holland, Zola Jesus returns to the Europe for dates including 18 November at KOKO, London, with a brass ensemble. Full tour dates below.

For her fifth studio album, TAIGA, Nika relocated from central Los Angeles to Vashon Island in the Puget Sound, in an effort to immerse herself in the natural world. Vashon is a densely wooded enclave with no bridges connecting it to the mainland. The taiga is the world’s largest terrestrial biome; a wild boreal forest covering large portions of Russia, Canada, Eurasia, referred to as the Northwoods where it connects in North America. Nika grew up on several acres of land in the northwoods of Wisconsin. Her Russian ancestors extend the taiga’s bloodline throughout several generations and to some extent this land has genetically imprinted on her. She has always felt its pull. To Nika, the taiga represents boundlessness: no law, just survival – at once innocent and raw, embodying naivety from its purity, yet at its core unforgiving and savage.

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Most of Nika’s creative process on Vashon was very different from how she used to write. Instead of starting a track with a beat or layers of synthesizers (with vocals usually coming last,) she began by writing songs completely a capella. Her work on the orchestral album Versions inspired her to revisit her classical vocal training and further hone the skills she had started developing in operatic study when she was young. Resuming training with her old opera instructor, she regained the confidence and vocal range she had heretofore lost. It allowed her to shed the former blankets of noise and reverb that used to cover her voice in fear.

After incubating on Vashon for nine months, Nika headed back to Los Angeles to track and mix the album with co-producer Dean Hurley (David Lynch, Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse). Hurley guided her in reaching her fidelity goals; which had always been compromised on her previous work, typically made as home recordings. TAIGA is an undeniable transition for Zola Jesus. Described by the artist herself: “The music on the record is massive, with big brass and beats, crystal clear vocals.”
Liberated in the present yet connected to the past, TAIGA is a pinnacle for Zola Jesus, the culmination of years of breaking through boundaries.”

LIVE DATES

30 October – Leeds, England – Belgrave Music Hall
31 October – Glasgow, Scotland – Stereo
1November – Manchester, England – Manchester Cathedral – Columns
4 November – Paris, France – Badaboum
5 November – Strasbourg, France – La Laiterie
6 November – St Gallen, Switzerland – Palace
7 November – Geneva, Switzerland – l’Usine
8 November – Reims, France – La Cartonnerie
10 November – Köln, Germany – Gebäude 9
11 November – Berlin, Germany – Berghain
12 November – Hamburg, Germany – Uebel and Gefährlich
13 November – Frankfurt, Germany – Zoom
14 November – Brussels, Belgium – La Nuit Botanique
15 November – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Melkweg
18 November – London, England – KOKO

Xsnoize Author
Mark Millar is the founder of XS Noize and looks after the daily running of the website as well as hosting interviews for the weekly XS Noize Podcast. Mark's favourite album is Achtung Baby by U2.

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