Zomby: Dedication

Zomby
Dedication
Rating: Grrrr

The one predictable thing about the mysterious dubstep/electronica producer Zomby is that he is completely unpredictable. His first releases were firmly rooted in the nascent dubstep arena ("Spliff Dub"), then taking a 180 turn towards the liquid electronica of artists from the Brainfeeder label (Flying Lotus, Nosaj Thing, etc.), and culminating with a WTF? full-length debut Where Were You In '92? which discarded all his previous work for a rave/jungle hybrid. Thankfully, regardless of the constant genre hopping, Zomby always puts out quality music, and it is always exciting when he releases something new. So, earlier this year, when it was announced that his latest album Dedication would be released on the seminal indie/goth label 4AD, many heads were scratched in puzzlement. What would this mean for his music? Would we see another seismic shift? And the answer is, of course, yes. Dedication is another 180 turn away from the blissed out rave of the last album, and a dip towards emotional introspection, which is foreshadowed in the minimal cover art. There is palpable sense of loss and sadness coloring the entire record. Indeed, Zomby has hinted in his ambiguous interviews that the album is for someone he misses. Whether this through a breakup or through someone passing away, it is not clear, but you can easily assign either one or both of those views to the record and they match up well.

"Witch Hunt" starts things off under a somber synth line and skittering drum beat, punctuated by gunshot percussion, making a statement of purpose that this is to be a heavy record.



The Irina Dubtzova-sampling track "Natalia's Song" cuts up vocals and surrounds them with a fog of electronics and spacey burbles.



Which moves effortlessly into the two-step smoothness of "Alothea."



Most of the songs barely make it over the 3:00 mark, and indeed, some feel very sketch-like, but I think that is his purpose, that life sometimes is not completed, but there is always beauty to be found even in fragments. Some of the most memorable sketches are the rave like stabs of "Adagio For Lucifer," which fades almost as quickly as it begins, the droning buzz of "Jimmy Best," the plaintive piano motifs of "Basquiat," or the shimmering luminescence of "Florence,"



It is not all fragments and sketches, there are meatier parts to the record that do not disappoint either. The talked about collaboration with Panda Bear on "Things Fall Apart" is truly memorable; Panda Bear's mantra-like vocals are a perfect match for Zomby's 8-bit sonics.



"Digital Rain" sounds like a marriage of two-step and Crystal Castles' video game synth terrorism.



And final track "Mozaik" builds off a hybrid two-step/mumbaton beat, with the electronics getting more and more agitated as the song progresses, ending suddenly and without warning, much like life.



Despite the beautiful synth tones and smooth production values of Dedication, it is ultimately not an easy listen. Zomby constantly shifts focus and mood, and keeps you on your toes. Several listens are necessary before the record takes shape and form. At first I was hesitant to let go and let the flow of the album direct me, but once you give in to its path, it is completely rewarding.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.