Floyd Zion Delivers a Fearless Debut EP With 'Pink By Floyd'
Floyd Zion has ARRIVED with the release of his debut EP, Pink By Floyd. With the title serving as a play on words of the artist's musical hero, Pink Floyd, Zion finds a way to align himself with the greats. Striving to create something different and striking, the EP is a perfect crossroads of past and present, psychedelic and grounded.
Pink By Floyd is packed with heavy production courtesy of Kayhan Azadi, Alex Oxtoa, Kenzo Cregan, and Zion himself, and vocal samples sprinkled throughout by Bipolar Sunshine. "I made this project to just make noise and turn the music industry and the world on its heads! Right now everything's safe, and that screams fear to me, so I wanted to scream something that pushes back on fear," shares Zion.
Album opener "Algorithm" is a fearless start to the rabbit hole of the record. His genre-blending seamlessly combines aspects of electronic, synth rock, and trap into a kaleidoscopic experience that commentates on politics, social media, and more, ultimately daring whatever powers that be to "tell me the truth." "Black Hoodie," which pays homage to Trayvon Martin, is a high-octane injection of musical and lyrical creativity, with passionate lyrics about racial injustice sweltering alongside fiery moshpit rhythms. The previously-released track is a brief song, slightly under two minutes long, that packs a hard punch and highlights Zion's masterful flow. The deliciously weird prog-rock guitar licks sprinkled toward the end make this quick track extremely memorable and center rage as its main instrument.
Other notable tracks include the deeply heart-aching "Euphoria," the trap-infused "Emerald Surfboard," and the dreamy, interlude "NoJungle." The trio sees Zion breaking out of what fans expect from him and expanding his sound palette, ushering in a new age of indie rock sounds that blend genres as processed percussion layered over live drum patterns, washed guitars imitating indie riffs, a nostalgic atmosphere, and catchy melodies sink their teeth into the listener and link it all together.
On "Belly" and "Been On," listeners are reintroduced to familiar sonic motifs found in Zion's music as he questions topics like religion and the mental health of today's youth while exposing societal constructs. "Belly" tackles feelings evoked from the artist's own experience in a relationship and the harm one may inflict on oneself when in poisonous emotional surroundings. Hazy synthetic riffs evoke teenage angst, with Zion's vocal lines dripping in overdrive, nodding to a more current sound that draws from hyperpop, bedroom pop, and euphoric indie sensibilities. With lines like "When dusse's all on my breath, I float around with unnecessary evils," he remains as he deftly tackles weighty themes of self-medication, religious constructs, and racial injustice.
The EP's closer, "Crunch Time," is a glitchy, piano-led ballad that sees Zion admit he's not ashamed of who he once was and "played the game like it was crunch time." As he repeatedly exults the mantra, crunchy guitar riffs, thrumming basslines, and a collage of synths, beats, and percussion escalate into a frenzied soundscape that speaks to a sense of rebirth amongst the chaos. It's an all-consuming and satisfying auditory experience that enriches the listener and makes one wish they could stay suspended in the moment for as long as possible.
Zion showcases a fearless mentality throughout Pink By Floyd. He uses his voice to rebel against both societal constructs and his own conflicts. The whole project screams anti-everything and leaves us screaming for Zion's unpredictable, exciting future.
Listen to Pink By Floyd below:
