Zola Jesus
(Sacred Bones)
You can take the farm out of the girl - but why would you want to? Born and raised on a 100 acre homestead in the middle of Wisconsin, Nika Danilova (aka Zola Jesus) clearly had plenty of spare time and haunting inspiration - her dad was a hunter after all - to help her prepare lush albums filled with ethereal, dark soundscapes that have been the predecessor for a new flock of goth pop doves.
After a rush of solid EPs, Danilova has built a fortress with her latest LP, Conatus, that furthers her classically trained Liza Minnelli husk with the bad seeds of a Siouxsie Sioux. The operatics of her voice make it the most intriguing instrument on the album but the new exploration of violins and cellos that feminize the massive drum fills make Conatus even more astounding.
Don't be fooled; it's exactly Danilova's Midwest charm infused with Middle Age drama that make her the pick of the crop in this evolving genre.
DOWNLOAD: "Vessel," "Seekir" SELENA FRAGASSI
