Tag: no zu

Last Week’s Jams (9.18 – 9.22)

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Last week was kind of light on the tunes, at least from my end of things. That being said, it was a pretty heavy week in terms of tunes that made me swoon. We got to premiere new stuff from Citric Dummies and Red Pants, which rule, equally. Of course, it was nice to see our pals in Voxtrot take back up their crown as master of pop; Bubblegum Lemonade was another friend making a return with new music too! All that, and I haven’t even touched on the Lower Plenty track that nearly broke me listening to it. The Serfs and Dancer both had great new music out there; those hit from Alien Nosejob and the Exbats on Goner Records didn’t hurt either. Maybe light on coverage in lieu of our recent weeks, but so much great stuff to dig into here.

No Zu Share Farewell Singles

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It’s a shame that No Zu decided to call it quits earlier this year, but as we’ve seen, being a musician in the current climate is a challenge unto itself. But, as they say goodbye, the Australian outfit wanted to send you off with a fond farewell. The track began as a take on 23 Skidoo’s “Last Words,” but the group quickly made the instrumental tune their one, creating “one last bucket of Zu ooze” to share with the world. For me, it encompasses the energetic fusion of all great dance music, which is what the group always brought in their sounds…plus you get a great visualizer created by Bridget Trout and Jon DeNapoli. Join me in wishing the band a fond farewell! This track brought to you by the good folks at Chapter Music.

Last Week’s Jams, Today (9.26 – 9.30)

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Hitting our stride last week, or so it seemed. We wrapped up the week streaming tons of records we’d been jamming, plus new stuff out on Friday from Gold Star, Midwestern Medicine, Matching Outfits and more. Personally, I got stuck on that Melby tune, wondering what it would take to make them huge in the US. And, since we got to spin some records, we’ve also got some upbeat numbers sent our way by Fujiya & Miyagi, Certain Times and No Zu. There’s a little bit of everything for everyone, so like us, its all over the place. Happy Monday.

No Zu Announce New EP + Share Liquid Love

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It’s been quite a few years since we’ve heard original music from “heat beat” pioneers No Zu, but after the passing of member Daphne Camf in 2021, the band have regrouped to record a fresh EP for Chapter Music. Personally, they’ve crafted this undefinable sound, something that maybe blends a bit of every element that ever evolved on the dance floor into one cohesive sound. This new track wears some of the shades of post-punk, though there’s this sort of old school disco vibe to some of the accompanying vocal work. But, that’s just the beginning as the song twists into an almost jazzy funk party with dance floor ready vocal punctuation, delivering cool every step of the way. Then it all devolves into this cacophonous freakout of noise before slinking back into that throbbing groove. Their Heat Beat EP will be delivered to your door on November 18th.

Cong Josie Shares Cong! The Singer

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If you haven’t been keeping an eye on Friday, it’s going to be a pretty hectic schedule; there are just too many releases to keep an eye on. But, one that’s been on my radar is the new LP from Cong Josie, the alter ego of Nic from No Zu. He’s crafting this dark synth pop that feels part Las Vegas entertainer and part deep house techno orchestrator. At times, he seems to be poking fun at the listener, throwing in these little kitsch elaborations to catch your ear. Still, you can’t help but feel that he’s got his finger on the pulse here, tapping into our desire for high octane synth pop madness. Cong! drops Friday via It Records.

New Track from Cong Josie

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Already a fan of No Zu, it didn’t take much of an art twist to turn me onto Cong Josie, the alter-ego of bandleader Nic Oogjies; today I’m stoked to share the latest single from the project’s forthcoming LP! Dipping my feet into this one, it’s definitely the opposite of what one would expect, particularly in the pacing of the song. This one’s entirely slow-burning, dripping with heavy vocal curls and angelic uplifting backing tracks, all walking carefully in this synth-laden landscape. Still, a slow burning synth track isn’t outside the norm, but what Cong Josie does it develop the song into a bit of a stretch, tossing in little nuggets of joy just before the 2 minute mark, and again twisting about in the close staring at 3.5 minutes, almost hyperventilating with sensational pop bravado. This single is out courtesy of It Records, with a debut LP to follow this year!

No Zu Cover Talking to a Stranger

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I’m just going to come out and say this, I had absolutely no idea who Hunters & Collectors were until I heard this No Zu cover, so I’m going to go back and remedy that before this day is up. But, for you, maybe you’re new too, so why not go back in time by visiting one of my current faves, No Zu. This video is live footage, with a recorded version of the song; you can see just how much the band has going on; it’s visually intoxicating in and of itself. Their recording takes the sort of post-punk style, hangs it up and seems to infuse a bit more of a funk aspect and swagger, turning it into an all out dance party you wish we could attend. This track comes out as a digital Double A-Side single, with a cover of “Sensation” by Bryan Ferry also featured…all courtesy of Chapter Music.

New from No Zu

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capture-nozu-096midI’m really excited by No Zu. In a world where people often get thrown into genres or defined by their past efforts, this group of Australians remain undefined. Think of yourself combining elements of funk, jazz, punk and other dance (hall) elements, combining them all to form an entirely new sound that you’re not likely to hear anywhere else. Seems like the gradual progression of where Chk Chk Chk and LCD Soundsystem crashed into the sound the Clash left behind at the end of their career. It’s rad, and this track will be featured on their new album, Afterlife, which is released by Chapter Music on February 5th.

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Is America Ready for No Zu?

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nozuI’m not quite sure a lot of people Stateside have heard of No Zu…unless they picked up the Cut Copy compilation Oceans Apart from awhile back.  But, the groove on this track from the Melbourne artists will surely perk up some ears here.  First, there’s that throbbing pulse, yet you can also hear the influence of so many other areas like big band to 80s pop music.  It’s an interesting pastiche, and one that should come across as rather refreshing in a genre that can often grow stale.  You can grab this new single from the band’s new label, Chapter Music, or wait for their next LP on the label early next year; it’s titled Afterlife.

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