Zola Blood – Nothing Is Wasted Review

What does Zola Blood sound like?

Bass-loving indie pop that swaps out synths for guitars most of the time.

The review of ‘Nothing Is Wasted’ by Zola Blood

On Zola Blood’s new EP, the band found themselves ruminating on being pulled towards something that can be both life-giving and toxic. Having written music together for years, sometimes they’d get stuck on writing a specific song, or hearing a certain vision, but then finding it wasn’t working in practice. This can also apply to relationships, friendships, and life decisions, too.

For this EP, Zola Blood had a very specific sound in mind. Taken from their own words, Zola Blood took influence from “the slow techno of Nicola Cruz, the ambient textures of Thom Yorke, and the shadowy beats of early Massive Attack.” That description is perfect because there is a moody, bass-driven, eerie world on display across this EP. ‘Constant State’ brings a skipping drum rim click beat and whirring, twisted low hum synths that occasionally break into a metallic bassy melody. The vocals contain most of the higher frequencies of the track, layered and floating in an urban fever dream.

‘Together’ follows a similar mood. Using a distant electric piano and lots of tape warping on other instruments to keep a gritty, underground vibe, the song captivates through a slow burn. It’s a track that grows on you with repeated listens. I’m also reminded of duo Stubborn Heart and their moody electronic artistry, too. Everything throbs like a villain’s heart in this track, and that villain’s heart grows colder in ‘Nothing is Wasted’. This track featured cloudy, washed-out numbing synths over more driving basslines. The electric guitar motifs are damaged like they’ve been out in acid rain, and it’s left to gently darting synths in the background to add any levity to the dense production. The chorus repeatedly sings “move on”, which increasingly becomes warped and detuned, as if the very mantra is falling apart.

The closing track is ‘By Ourselves’, and it’s the closest track to a standard Zola Blood piece. Even then, this takes a Massive Attack / Lamb bold drum loop and staples on all kinds of chewed-up synths and sound effects. Everything screams desolation, but Matt West’s vocals are utterly captivating, using his falsetto to break down barriers and drive an emotional wedge into your thoughts. The whole EP is very bass and low-end heavy, with its slow techno influence shining through. By the time we reach this final track, hearing Matt let off the leash without tons of distortion effects makes it all the more satisfying when it comes. That’s not to say the other tracks are not great; they are. It just makes the bigger vocal performance feel more earned when you get there.

It’s fascinating to hear of a band that is outwardly questioning if their music is working or not, and trying something slightly different tonally. I’ve always found Zola Blood’s output consistently great, making them one of the most enjoyable indie and dream pop bands in the UK right now for creating strong music. Perhaps that is down to their questioning nature. ‘Nothing is Wasted’ shows that no idea was wasted in trying a moodier, more textured approach to their songwriting and production. It’s another excellent EP to add to a decade of strong releases. Keep on questioning, it’s doing something right!

Recommended track: By Ourselves

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