ZOLA JESUS' Brand New Album 'Taiga' Now Streaming, Out 10/7

By: Casey Judge Sep. 29, 2014

Today Zola Jesus unveiled her already critically acclaimed album TAIGA via The New York Times' Press Play series. The album will be released October 7th, 2014 on Mute. Billboard calls the release 'Zola Jesus' most profound, accessible release to date;' Rolling Stone describes it as 'a surprising set of 11 pop songs, replete with catchy beats and stuck-in-your-head hooks,' and Paste says, 'The whole album thrives on a sense of clarity for the singer/songwriter.' Listen to TAIGA in its entirety here.

Zola Jesus' highly anticipated record release tour begins in San Francisco on October 8th, hitting major cities in the US, UK and Europe. Opening acts Operators, Leech, The-Drum,Martin Rev (Suicide) & Lee Bannon have been confirmed on US tour dates. For the US and London shows, Nika will also be joined on stage by a live brass ensemble, under direction from talented brass arranger and tubist Joe Exley. Nika elaborates, 'I've also been working closely with lighting designer Sarah Landau and stage designer Carl Robertshaw, to create a visual environment that mimics the architects and sculpture artists that inspired me while writing the record. It's so exciting to finally bring these ideas to fruition and share them with you in person.'

The full list of dates for this incredible live experience is below; tickets are on sale now here.
Watch the tour trailer here.

For her 5th studio album, Nika relocated to Vashon Island in the Puget Sound to fully immerse herself in the environment from which the music was inspired. The taiga is the world's largest terrestrial biome; a wild boreal forest covering large portions of Russia, referred to as the Northwoods where it connects in North America, including all of Canada and large portions of Eurasia. Nika grew up on several acres of land in the northwoods of Wisconsin. She has always felt its pull. Her Russian ancestors extend the taiga's bloodline throughout several generations. To Nika, the taiga represents boundlessness; no law, just survival - at once innocent and raw, embodying naivety from its purity, yet at its core unforgiving and savage.

After leaving Vashon, Nika tracked and mixed the album in Los Angeles with co-producer Dean Hurley (David Lynch, Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse). At once challenging and accessible, TAIGA is a transition for Zola Jesus. Described by the artist herself: 'The music on the record is massive, with big brass and beats, crystal clear vocals.'

TAIGA PRE-ORDER:

CD | Digital | LP

TAIGA TRACKLISTING
Taiga
Dangerous Days
Dust
Hunger
Go (Blank Sea)
Ego
Lawless
Nail
Long Way Down
Hollow
It's Not Over

LIVE DATES
10/8 - San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's w/ Operators
10/9 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey w/ Leech
10/16 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall w/ The-Drum
10/17 - Washington, DC - Hirshhorn Museum
10/19 - New York, NY - Webster Hall w/ Martin Rev (Suicide) & Lee Bannon
10/29 - Bristol, England - Colston Hall
10/30 - Leeds, England - Belgrave Music Hall
10/31 - Glasgow, Scotland - Stereo
11/1 - Manchester, England - Manchester Cathedral - Columns
11/4 - Paris, France - Badaboum
11/5 - Strasbourg, France - La Laiterie
11/6 St Gallen, Switzerland - Palace
11/7 Geneva, Switzerland - l'Usine
11/8 - Reims, France - La Cartonnerie
11/10 - Köln, Germany - Gebäude 9
11/11 - Berlin, Germany - Berghain
11/12 - Hamburg, Germany - Uebel and Gefährlich
11/13 - Frankfurt, Germany - Zoom
11/14 - Brussels, Belgium - La Nuit Botanique
11/15 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg
11/18 - London, England - KOKO

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