PREMIERE | Zoya Zafar, 'Some Songs'
The candid canvases of pop orchestrated by Zoya Zafar; photographed by Ada Chen.
The most vulnerable vignettes allow a view into the spaces of the soul that are otherwise guarded and obscured. They chronicle the places traveled, the trials and tribulations endured, the special folks that make an indelible impression, the departures, arrivals and all the itineraries of import that inspire along the journeys of life. The most expressive arts through the power of song convey these experiences and relay the interior and exterior worlds witnessed by the author that embark upon new forms to present them to a larger audience. The science in relating these things is a curious poetry, a sacred and psychic process that swims through the most inward aquifers of the human spirit and channels them forth toward the public facing stages.
These candid processes permeate the understated majesty of Some Songs from Zoya Zafar. The Orlando by way of Lahore, Pakistan artist follows up the Spaceless Craft EP with a full-length album that has been years in the making. Spanning years that have contended with the pandemic, battling an auto-immune illness and world travels; Zafar delivers music that is made with heart and the utmost care. With production and mixing assists from Max Helgemo and Gia Margaret, each mesmerizing movement on Some Songs glimmers and glows like the planetary stars that keep our humble globe company. An ineffable beauty and striking humility are found all throughout the record, as Zoya elevates the caliber and class of what chamber torch songs can be in a new era of constant kinesis, worldwide clamor and a chance to find a greater enlightenment.
"Motion Sickness" begins Some Songs with feelings of nausea mixed with speeding memories like a turbulent cab ride along pot-holed strewn streets. Dreams versus reality play out in the heartbreaking sports of love and loss on the grievances and grace of "Kiss Your Girl", as "Tunnel Vision" holds tight to the emotively wound connections of the heart and the mind's eye, while "Sweet Talk" traverses the tear stricken tributaries that seeks a higher degree of intimate discourse. Zoya brings the listener to places where the discontinuity of a relationship can be felt in full on the subtle devastation of "You Meant Nothing, Too" that leaves you in a liminal space between two dimensions of what could have been (and what can never be).
Stepping into the light with Zoya Zafar; photographed by Ada Chen.
"Blue" walks with an inquisitive wonder like a saudade stroll after a breakup, further exhibited on the anxious strums of "Alone". The thrill of discovering a kismet connection can be felt on the sun rising shine of "You're a Reason Why", as east meets west chants bookend the light and love of "To You" as "Clumsy' closes the record with a lo-fi hymn that revels in the human nature of contending with ailments and finding comfort in those that are near and dear to our hearts. Complete with a piano lead outro, Some Songs is Zaya's omnibus of life and love, chronicling both sickness and health with the spirit of unlimited endearment.
Floral frequencies, flights of fancy and Zoya Zafar; photographed by Ada Chen.
Zoya shared some meditations on Some Songs and more:
Vignettes of memories, each tinged with a sense of disillusionment and a yearning for connection. From feeling motion sickness in a cab hurtling towards the airport, to tranquil contemplation on a boat drifting through the Baltic Sea. From an endearing nickname given in the dim light to masking true emotion in a final goodbye.
Reflections by Zoya Zafar; photographed by Ada Chen.
Detachment is a coping mechanism for the turmoil of conflicting highs and lows, the hopes and disappointments, and the constant search for understanding, belonging and possibly paradise. Facing the allure of sweet, comforting words with the reality of unfulfilled expectations. Feeling alone yet also finding solace in that solitude. The sinking darkness of desperation, and the fleeting glimpses of light just almost within reach.
Zoya Zafar’s Some Songs will be available May 3.
Catch the artist on the following live dates:
May
17 St. Augustine, FL // Sarbez
June
1 Tallahassee, FL - The Bark
2 Gainesville, FL - The Atlantic
July
16 San Francisco, CA - Koret Auditorium, SFPL Main Branch
24 Tampa, FL - The Hooch and Hive
25th Lakeland, FL - Hillcrest