Feist, Zola Jesus, Prince Rama [week's Top Releases]

Each week, we designate the newest releases that are worth your attention. This edition features fearless females sharpening the talents of their own signature aesthetics. All three acts are by no means new to the scene, and these albums will solidify their relevancy for years to come. We’re also highlighting a collective project seeking to raise money for Oxfam. Great music and certainly a worthy cause!

How Come You Never Go There by Feist

Metals, Leslie Feist’s (@feistmusic) first release in four years, seems to be a deliberate departure from her earlier, more commercial-friendly material. While Feist continues to rely on her signature elements of classic, sparse instrumentation and an abundance of handclaps, don’t expect any of the heavy, melancholy tracks on Metals to be used to sell you a new iPod anytime soon.

Vessel – Zola Jesus

In the three short years that Nika Roza Danilova has been releasing albums as Zola Jesus (@zolajesus), she has carved out a sound that is completely her own. Mixing operatic vocals with dark, goth-like sensibilities, similar to her two EPs released last year, Conatus seems to be the most fully realized and refined Zola Jesus project to date.

Rest in Peace – Prince Rama

With today’s plethora of young hopefuls creating music and the ease with which their art can be shared, it’s nearly impossible to stand out and make something that sounds completely original. Prince Rama (@princerama2012), however, seems to be succeeding. Sisters Tarawa and Nimai Larson were raised Hare Krishna, so their psychedelic freak-folk songs are highly modal-based with Eastern-influenced harmonies. Their new album, Trust Now, is their first release on Animal Collective’s experimental-friendly label Paw Tracks.

You won’t hear Gorillaz’s Damon Albarn do much singing on Kinshasa One Two from DRC Music – in fact, his voice is only recognizable on the first track.  This album is a collaborative effort, though, so the lack of distinct vocals fits the project well. Albarn and producer Actress gathered a large number of musicians to contribute to the release, so it’s difficult to tell where each particular musical influence sprang from. Regardless of origin, though, the sound is an excellent melding of various African musical traditions, bass-heavy electronic dance music, futuristic pop, rap and hip hop. Each track seems to have a different genre, giving the album a feel of experimentation. Most importantly though, all profits from the release will go to benefit Oxfam, which is helping to rebuild and give supplies to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Be sure to pick up a copy and show your support!