Sometimes when a band gets experimental, the result has the unfortunate tendency to be too much like a lab experiment. The music is usually definitely still avant and interesting but stuck with feeling of being manufactured, rather than organic. None of this, however, applies to soul outfit Zilla. The Boston group’s latest EP Dream State sounds like a home-cooked meal tastes, with songs seemingly proportioned by what feels right rather than what any cookbook has to say. There’s also a distinctly vintage quality to the project, especially in rhythm section and vocals, but it never feels derivative due to Zilla’s ability to repurpose them in inventive arrangements and mathy tempos. For a fresh take on soul, check out the EP below, and if you still need plans for this evening you can see Zilla live tonight, 7/28, at Middle East.
We found out about Zilla through our submissions page. If you’re an emerging artist and want to get checked out, you can submit some fresh tunes to us here.
—Henry Solotaroff-Webber