Anybody who knows me half well would know quite well that I don’t throw around my comparisons to legendary French art pop duo Air lightly, and while there’s basically really scarce musical resemblance between their work and this fresh release from ZOOLOOK, I was thrilled to be embraced by the chill vibes, tasty leads, and exuberant charisma of ‘Power of the People’.
San Francisco-based sonic architect ZOOLOOK is a multi-disciplinary artist and musician whose upbringing, surrounded by his father’s eclectic record collection, helped shape an artist with a fascination towards funk, disco, and RnB music from the ’60s all the way to the neon-lit ’80s. Motown grooves, Bernard Edwards bass lines, Jean-Michel Jarre synth parts, and Herbie Hancock iconic trumpet leads all make an appearance in one way or another on this rather delightful instrumental.
‘Power of the People’ is essentially a funk jam with what resembles Reggae, soul, and disco flairs. A solid and simple beat ornamented by syncopated percussion, an impactful bass line that’s groovy and easy to follow, a sleazy funk guitar part that rhythmically scratches all the way through the cut, and endless instrumental and vocal layers fade into and out of the mix. A tasteful saxophone lead and Motown vocal oohs and aahs given a spectral treatment, ZOOLOOK effortlessly and inventively lays down such a balanced amalgam of styles.
‘Power of the People’ is hypnotic and tastefully crafted, which takes us back to the comparison with Air. ZOOLOOK’s style easily stands out.