Jamila Woods performs during Treefort.
Jamila Woods – “HEAVN”
Year Released: 2016
Like: Solange, Chance the Rapper, Blood Orange
Songs to Try: ‘Holy,’ ‘LSD,’ ‘Breadcrumbs’
The varied themes Jamila Woods faces in her 2016 album are far from being “HEAVN”-ly. Scattered about the flocks of turtle-like guitar refrains and gooey synthesizers that outline Woods’ debut project are themes of isolation, loneliness, black on black violence, police cruelty and plenty more that stand in stark comparison to Woods’ angelic choiring.
By Tapping the Chicago proud producer oddCouple for over half of the songs on the LP, Jamila is able to wind her emotional vocal style over odd free-jazz improvisations and sticky funk instrumentations.
Tracks such as the lovely “In My Name” explain for the listener Jamila’s pride for her heritage and literally, her name. Contrasted against a song like the grimey “Blk Girl Soldier” are overlapping themes of black honor, and others not understanding the potential of inspired, fearless African-American women. In both of these songs, darker subjects are brightly reflected against Couple’s underground-inspired drum passages, not to mention the flowy guitars or synthetically digital, chippering, production additions.
On the Chance the Rapper supported “LSD,” Jamila explores her fondness for Chicago alongside one of the most influential artists to emerge from the city. The overall theme of “HEAVN” seems to follow this double-sided outlook that Woods has on the aforementioned song — simultaneously loving the city that her heritage and style blossomed in, while expressing her gripes with the city and what it promotes.
From desolation grows beauty, a lesson that Jamila had learned years ago. Combined with her cultural awareness, beautifully confident vocals and her keen ear for challenging production, Woods proves in this sub 60-minute representation of her mind that similarly thinking artists, whom find gorgeousness through difficult inspirations, can depict their struggles on the decks, on the mic, with their issues being highlighted by cell phone flashes and multi-colored stage lights.
Colin Croom on keyboard at Treefort.
Twin Peaks – “Wild Onion”
Year Released: 2014
Like: Grizzly Bear, Deerhunter, American Football
Songs to Try: ‘I Found A New Way,’ ‘Strawberry Smoothie,’ ‘Flavor’
Taking their name from the infamous 90s murder-mystery television show is not where the indie-psych band Twin Peaks stops their fascination with previous successes.
On Wild Onion, we find a mix of hard-rock and blues with a modern edge. With wailing psychedelic guitars on nearly every track, the album proves to call to its idols, with sounds like ancient icons like “Love,” “Grateful Dead,” or “Phish.” The band seems to be constantly jamming out, always letting the listener in on some form of unique rock experimentation.
Strawberry Smoothie’s delightful title comes to life through the swirling strings and ethereal synthesizers, not before blending succinctly into the next track, “Mirror of Time,” whose dizzying repetition finds solitude within Caiden James’ crooning, lonesome vocals.
The druggy approach that Twin Peaks takes on their acclaimed album seems pure and genuine, like if Mac Demarco moved away from making predictable songs for his identifiable fans. The quintet ensemble met through school, and the childlike wonders that formed their friendships shine brightly on pieces like “Sloop Jay D,” a direct reference to an influence of them, the Beach Boys, and their song, “Sloop John B.” A fuzzy driving bassline keeps the song in check, while melancholy vocal passages clash with Peaks’ noisy ambition, with peaking cymbals and heavily distorted Fender 6-strings.
Through angsty shouted outbursts, bouncy melodies, homegrown guitar solos and mind-altering indie-rock anthems, the five-piece collection makes music to remember your old swimming hole dives and prank phone calls with odd amounts of familiarity and nostalgia.
Zola Jesus performs during Treefort.
Zola Jesus – “Okovi”
Year Released: 2017
Like: Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Kelly Lee Owens, Björk
Songs to Try: ‘Exhumed,’ ‘Witness,’ ‘Veka’
With a performance and creation record of over 10 years under the Zola Jesus moniker, Nicole Hummel has been at the forefront of creating challenging experimental music for the new generation.
Her 2017 record kicks off quickly into a blend of visceral noise and electronics on the song “Exhumed,” with Hummel spouting cryptic lyrics from her bellowing voice while quickly paced kick drums accentuate her inflections. The vocal performances Nicole has placed onto Okovi (and her previous records) are heavily influenced by her fascination with opera, of which she has studied and sung for over half of her life. Her pipes are similar to that of a Thom Yorke (Radiohead) or a Björk, where breath control is used as a stylistic centerpiece, allowing Hummel to croon onto tape, giving way to possible effect experimentations and hollow reverberated domes of voice.
The track “Ash to Bone” feature an ambient progression with orchestral strings being overlapped and meshed with one another to create this webbing of low, dulcet tones. All the while, we hear Jesus breathing life into the background, squeezing herself in between the off-rhythm cymbals that stick to the underside of the beat.
On Okovi we find difficult, unconventional, properly paced bouts of experimental prowess, of which shed occasional light onto Hummel’s understanding of how holistically entertaining songwriting works. Jesus’s steady career in this genre of music, which feeds strictly from only the most daring concepts, is explored with the help of her producers and contract instrumentalists, which on songs like the cavernous “Veka,” are ever-more increasingly difficult to draw current parallels or find comparisons to.
Rem Jensen can be reached at [email protected]