California-by-way-of-New York Zuli Jr. is an artist we’ve been tracking for genuinely years now, but the dedication and concept behind his latest efforts have had our ears perked up to say the least. After covering some of the single steps that led to this project, Zuli Jr. delivers The Snake EP full—here’s what this latest chapter brings to the table.
Zuli Jr. Defines The Snake With Blunt Reflections And Distorted Effects
“Me & My Song” introduces the wailing, distorted synthetics that make repeat appearances as you delve deeper into the tracklist. The recurrent theme (on this song, bracketing “Pistol,” aiding the climax on “The Snake” and teeing up “Trust The Process”) further adds to the cohesiveness of the overall project and lends some cinematic grandiosity in the process, almost an audio tie-back to the spiral theme utilized in promo artwork.
Jumping to that titular song, “The Snake” may be the most earnest expression of the vulnerability and uncertainty that defines the EP. Dealing with some explosive fallback, his vocals suddenly move up in the mix in the middle of the song, a “let’s put it all on the table” sort of cue that mirrors the lyrics he lays down throughout: “I think I’ve got the disease for breaking people’s hearts / Chew you up and tear you apart.”
A New Day In The Singer-Songwriter’s World
Finally, the closer, “Where Do We Go From Here?” succeeds in being the most straightforward composition here, featuring pitched-up vocals that instantly stand out from the rest of what Zuli Jr. pitches in on The Snake. The instrumentation, too, is far more sparse and tranquil, teasing out a meditative quality that feels like an uneasy peace only reached by the tribulations of the songs that came before it.
On his personal site, you’ll find Zuli Jr. describing his first album as a dream and his second as a nightmare. While the earnest chapter three may still be unwritten, The Snake feels like waking up and greeting everything subconscious head-on.
Find The Snake and all of the Zuli Jr. backlog wherever you stream your music.
