aaamusic | On 08, Jun 2010

‘Night’ is Zola Jesus’ first ever UK single release and comes out on June 21st through Berlin-based label Souterrain Transmissions. The single is taken from the forthcoming album ‘Stridulum II’ due out in August (also on Souterrain Transmissions).

‘Stridulum II’ will include all of the tracks featured on Zola Jesus’ recent US EP release ‘Stridulum’, plus 3 extra brand new tracks that thematically expound on the EP to complete it’s formation as a full length record for European release.

Zola Jesus is the endeavour of a solitary girl named Nika Roza Danilova to simultaneously combat and invoke the approaching apocalypse using the only weapon/offering she has; her voice. After a decade of opera study and a musical awakening involving such varied inspiration as Billboard bubblegum, classical aria’s, no-wave, and avant industrial, she was able to thread her influences into a sound uniquely her own.

Born and raised in the countryside of mid-western USA (Wisconsin), Nika Roza was literally raised by wolves (well proximally anyways). Beginning her musical output at the age of 16, she released: two 7″s, an EP, a live recording from WNYU, and a split with neighbouring Madison head-trip, Burial Hex, on Sacred Bones, Troubleman, Die Stasi, and Aurora Borealis respectively. It was her debut full length for Sacred Bones last summer, however, that suddenly grew Zola Jesus’ profile exponentially.

Her video for “Clay Bodies” directed by Jacqueline Castel, debuted on Pitchfork and The Spoils made dozens of year-end lists including: The Wire, Pitchfork, and The Fader.

Her latest EP Stridulum is a huge leap forward in terms of fidelity and accessibility. Recording her vocals for the first time with professional equipment, Nika’s voice is brought to the powerful forefront of the mix unleashing the full range of emotions that had only been hinted at in her previous work. No longer just the doomsday soothsayer, Nika refines her soulful psalms creating pop songs that are as equally nurturing as they are foreboding.

See Zola Jesus live:

Aug 31 Brighton Freebutt  
Sept 1 London Camp Basement  
Sept 2 Manchester Deaf Institute  
Sept 3 Leeds Nation Of Shopkeepers  
Sept 4 Glasgow Indian summer  
Sept 5 Edinburgh Wolf Party presents @ Electric Cabaret  
Sept 6 Glasgow ABC1  w/ Fever Ray
Sept 8 London Brixton Academy   w/ Fever Ray