It’s been almost five years since Zola Jesus last released an album (2017’s Okovi), but after all the waiting fans will be thrilled to hear that Nika Roza Danilova has a new LP coming out. Her sixth album Arkhon (which means “power” or “ruler” in ancient Greek) will be released 20th May 2022 via Sacred Bones. Working with producer Randall Dunn and percussionist Matt Chamberlain, Danilova reflects on the creation of Arkhon: “When I look back at my work, I see there’s a theme where I fixate on my fear of the unknown. That really came into fruition for this record, because I had to let go of so much control. I had to surrender to whatever the outcome would be. That used to be really hard for me, and now I had no other choice.”
With the announcement of a new record comes the opening track “Lost.” Using samples of a Slovenian folk choir, Danilova marries her tremendous, cavernous voice with a slew of percussive touches that range from chattering snippets of breath to more earthy drums and shakers. It’s gloopy and gloomy, and matched with the striking Mu Tunç-directed video (shot on location in the Cappadocia area of Turkey), it showcases Danilova at her mesmerizing best. Speaking of the track, Danilova said:
“It’s true. Everyone I know is lost. Lost hope, lost future, lost present, lost planet. There is a collective disillusionment of our burning potential. As we stray further from nature, we drift from ourselves. ‘Lost’ is a sigil to re-discover our coordinates and claim a new path. I wanted to shoot the video in a place that carried a lot of energy, with someone that I felt understood the spiritual backbone of the song. It was a surprisingly natural process to make this video with Mu Tunç in Turkey. I put my faith in him and in Cappadocia, a labyrinthine city built within 60 million-year-old caves. Throughout human history these caves have served as a citadel for so many different groups of people who went there to get lost. It is a testament to the resilience of humanity, and the durability of our earth.”
Director Mu Tunç adds: “The story of ‘Lost’ is a visual litany of devotion. Reflects the exodus of the true self through the mystical environments of Cappadocia. Zola Jesus is for me like an outcast philosopher of today’s confused society.”
Check out the video for “Lost” below, or stream the track on your preferred streaming service.
Zola Jesus’ new album Arkhon woill be out 20th May 2022 on Sacred Bones Records. Stay up to date with Zola Jesus on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
