Zola Jesus Conatus

ged as a
figurehead-- a self-produced, self-designed, self-taught independent woman. Zola Jesus
is not a singer; she is a musician. Zola Jesus is not a band; it is a solo project. That is
not to say the people who have helped her along the way were not deeply important.
Her irreplaceable live band, whose drummer Nick Johnson lends a hand on several
tracks here, and her friend Brian Foote who co-produced this album in addition to the
live string players (Sean McCann, Ryan York) who contribute here were all crucial in
the process. Nika, however, is a woman who can command a room, any room,
without needing a band, a stage, or even a microphone. Her voice is unmistakable; it
cuts right to the core. Conatus is a huge leap forward in production, instrumentation
and song structure. It says it all in the definition of the title: the will to keep on, to
move forward. From thumping ballads to electronic glitch, no sound goes unexplored
on her new record. It is an icy exploration in refined chaos and controlled madness,
an effort to break through capability and access a sonic world that crumbles as it
shines.