Taiga (Zola Jesus album)

Last updated
Taiga
Taiga album cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 6, 2014
Genre
Length42:36
Label Mute
Producer Nika Roza Danilova, Dean Hurley
Zola Jesus chronology
Versions
(2013)
Taiga
(2014)
Okovi
(2017)
Singles from Taiga
  1. "Dangerous Days"
    Released: June 23, 2014
  2. "Go (Blank Sea)"
    Released: September 17, 2014
  3. "Hunger"
    Released: February 9, 2015
  4. "Nail"
    Released: September 18, 2015

Taiga is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Zola Jesus. It was released on October 6, 2014 in the UK and EU and on October 7, 2014 in the US through Mute. [1] The album was produced by Nika Roza Danilova and co-produced by Dean Hurley. [1] It marks the first Zola Jesus record to be released through Mute Records. The album title Taiga is the Russian word for boreal forests. A music video was released for the album's first single "Dangerous Days". [2] The music video was directed by Timothy Saccenti and filmed in Hoh Rainforest, Washington. [2]

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 66/100 [3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Consequence of Sound C+ [5]
Exclaim! 7/10 [6]
MusicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
NME 7/10 [8]
Pitchfork 5.9/10 [9]
PopMatters 6/10 [10]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]

Upon its release, Taiga received generally positive reviews from music critics. The review aggregator website Metacritic assigns a "Metascore" to each album, which is based on the ratings and reviews of selected mainstream independent publications, and the release has a score of a 66 based on 21 selected critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [3]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Nika Roza Danilova

No.TitleLength
1."Taiga"2:55
2."Dangerous Days"4:29
3."Dust"3:32
4."Hunger"4:32
5."Go (Blank Sea)"4:05
6."Ego"2:49
7."Lawless"5:15
8."Nail"3:05
9."Long Way Down"3:58
10."Hollow"3:50
11."It’s Not Over"4:05
Total length:42:36

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

Zola Jesus

Additional musicians

Technical personnel

Charts

ChartPeak
position
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [12] 48
US Heatseekers Albums ( Billboard ) [13] 9
US Independent Albums ( Billboard ) [14] 40

Related Research Articles

<i>Felt Mountain</i> 2000 studio album by Goldfrapp

Felt Mountain is the debut studio album by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp. It was released on 11 September 2000 by Mute Records. The album takes influence from a variety of music styles such as 1960s pop, cabaret, folk and electronica.

<i>Hourglass</i> (Dave Gahan album) 2007 studio album by Dave Gahan

Hourglass is the second solo studio album by English vocalist Dave Gahan, released on 17 October 2007 by Mute Records. It received generally favourable reviews; most critics complimented its electronica sound, while some criticised it for sounding too similar to Gahan's group Depeche Mode.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zola Jesus</span> American singer-songwriter

Nika Roza Danilova, known professionally by her stage name Zola Jesus, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her music has been noted for combining elements of electronic, industrial, classical, and goth. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, she spent her formative years in northern Wisconsin, where she began writing and recording music independently while attending college. During her second year of studies, she released two singles through the independent label Sacred Bones, followed by two EPs. Her debut album, The Spoils, was released in 2009.

<i>Geneva</i> (Russian Circles album) 2009 studio album by Russian Circles

Geneva is the third studio album by American post-metal band Russian Circles, and was released on October 20, 2009. The album was recorded in May 2009 with Brandon Curtis of The Secret Machines. The vinyl version of the album was released by Sargent House and was available on both a black 2x12" 45 rpm edition and a more limited clear 2x12" 45 rpm edition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Former Ghosts</span>

Former Ghosts is a project of Freddy Ruppert, former member of This Song Is a Mess But So Am I, with loose collaborations from multiple people including Xiu Xiu frontman Jamie Stewart, Zola Jesus originator Nika Roza Danilova, Yasmine Kittles of Tearist, Annie Lewandowski of Powerdove, and Carla Bozulich. Past live incarnations have included Jherek Bischoff and Sam Mickens. Ruppert is the lead songwriter on this project. The title of the debut, Fleurs, is a reference to the white-flowered iris.

<i>Stridulum</i> (EP) 2010 EP by Zola Jesus

Stridulum is the sixth release and second EP by American singer-songwriter Zola Jesus, released on March 9, 2010 by Sacred Bones Records. It was expanded into the full-length album Stridulum II, released later in 2010.

<i>Lisbon</i> (album) 2010 studio album by The Walkmen

Lisbon is the fifth studio album by the New York-based group The Walkmen. It was released on September 14, 2010, in the US. John Congleton produced and engineered the album. The band recorded nearly thirty tracks before settling on the eleven that comprise the album. The album is a tribute to the city of Lisbon in Portugal.

<i>New Love</i> (Former Ghosts album) 2010 studio album by Former Ghosts

New Love is the second album from experimental electronic group Former Ghosts, a collaborative effort between Jamie Stewart, Freddy Ruppert, Yasmine Kittles (TEARIST) and Nika Roza Danilova.

<i>Valusia</i> 2010 EP by Zola Jesus

Valusia is the fourth EP by American singer-songwriter Zola Jesus. It was released on October 15, 2010 on Sacred Bones Records.

<i>Stridulum II</i> 2010 studio album by Zola Jesus

Stridulum II is the second full-length studio album release by the American singer-songwriter Zola Jesus, released by the German label Souterrain Transmissions on August 23, 2010. The album combines all six songs from the Stridulum EP with three of the four songs from the Valusia EP. The cover art is modified from the cover of Stridulum.

<i>The Spoils</i> (Zola Jesus album) 2009 studio album by Zola Jesus

The Spoils is a debut full-length studio album by Nika Roza Danilova, better known as American singer-songwriter Zola Jesus, released in July 2010 on Sacred Bones Records. To the LP version's original 10 tracks the CD adds five songs: two from "Soeur Sewer" and three from the "Poor Sons" 7-inch singles.

<i>Conatus</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Zola Jesus

Conatus is the third studio album by American singer Zola Jesus, released in the United Kingdom on September 26, 2011, and in the United States on October 4 by Sacred Bones Records. The album was produced by Brian "Nudge" Foote and Nika Roza Danilova herself.

<i>Feel It Break</i> 2011 studio album by Austra

Feel It Break is the debut studio album by Canadian electronic music band Austra. It was released on May 13, 2011, by Domino. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, who complimented its production and the vocals of lead singer Katie Stelmanis and compared the band to artists such as Kate Bush, Cocteau Twins, Fever Ray, Zola Jesus, and Depeche Mode. It was shortlisted for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize, and received a Juno Award nomination for Electronic Album of the Year. Feel It Break spawned three singles: "Beat and the Pulse", "Lose It", and "Spellwork".

<i>Wonky</i> (album) 2012 studio album by Orbital

Wonky is the eighth studio album by Orbital, released on their own ACP label in the UK on 2 April 2012, and exclusively through iTunes in the United States and Canada on 17 April 2012. The album is their first since the Blue Album in 2004 and the first since they reformed in 2008. It features vocals from Zola Jesus and Lady Leshurr.

<i>Versions</i> (Zola Jesus album) 2013 compilation album by Zola Jesus

Versions is a compilation album by American singer-songwriter Zola Jesus. The album consists of remixes of tracks from her second and third albums as well as one previously unreleased track. It was released in August 2013 under Sacred Bones Records.

<i>To Be Kind</i> 2014 Swans album

To Be Kind is the thirteenth studio album by American experimental rock band Swans, released on May 12, 2014. It was released as a triple LP, a double CD, and a two-CD deluxe edition that includes a live DVD of performances from Hellfest Open Air Festival, Pitchfork Music Festival and Primavera Sound Festival, as well as a digital download. Critical reception of the album was very positive, continuing a string of well-received albums from the band. The album peaked at number 37 on US Billboard 200, and debuted at number 38 on the UK Albums Chart. Both are the highest chartings that Swans had ever achieved on a studio album and it is the first time that the band cracked the top 40 in both countries.

<i>Weatherhouse</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Philip Selway

Weatherhouse is the second album by the English musician Philip Selway, released on 6 October 2014. It features musicians in Selway's backing band. On 31 July 2014 a music video was released for the first single from the album, "Coming Up for Air". On 22 September 2014 a music video was released for another song on the album, "It Will End In Tears". Whereas Selway's first album, Familial (2010), was largely acoustic, Weatherhouse features more ambitious arrangements and electronic elements.

<i>Okovi</i> 2017 studio album by Zola Jesus

Okovi is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Zola Jesus. It was released on September 8, 2017 by Sacred Bones Records. The album was written in Danilova's hometown in Wisconsin, where she retreated after dealing with depression and dark times experienced by her close friends.

<i>Leaving Meaning</i> 2019 studio album by Swans

Leaving Meaning is the fifteenth studio album by American experimental band Swans. It was released October 25, 2019 on Young God and Mute. A double album, Leaving Meaning's songs have been mixed separately for vinyl and CD releases, with the CD version of the album containing the original mixes of the songs, as well as an additional track, "Some New Things". As with all Swans' releases of the 2010s, Leaving Meaning was financed by a fundraiser album – in this case, What Is This? in March 2019.

<i>Live at Roadburn 2018</i> 2020 live album by Zola Jesus

Live at Roadburn 2018 is the first live album by American singer-songwriter Zola Jesus, recorded at the 2018 Roadburn Festival in Tilburg, Netherlands. It was made available to stream and purchase via Bandcamp on May 1, 2020, before expanding to other digital platforms on May 8, 2020. It is scheduled to be released in physical formats–including several variations of limited edition vinyl, as well as compact disc–on June 26, 2020, by Sacred Bones Records.

References

  1. 1 2 Jenn Pelly (July 15, 2014). "Zola Jesus Shares Taiga Album Art, Tracklist, Announces International Tour". Pitchfork . Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  2. 1 2 John Walker (August 28, 2014). "Zola Jesus' 'Dangerous Days' Video Is So Overwhelming". MTV . Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Taiga - Zola Jesus". Metacritic . Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  4. Phares, Heather. "Taiga - Zola Jesus". AllMusic . Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  5. Geffen, Sasha (October 7, 2014). "Zola Jesus – Taiga". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  6. Sylvester, Daniel. "Taiga - Zola Jesus". Exclaim! . Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  7. Hogwood, Ben (6 October 2014). "Taiga - Zola Jesus". MusicOMH . OMH. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  8. Cooper, Leonie (3 October 2014). "Zola Jesus: Taiga". NME . Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  9. St. Asaph, Katherine. "Zola Jesus: Taiga". Pitchfork . Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  10. Paul, John. "Zola Jesus: Taiga". PopMatters . Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  11. Weiner, Sophie (7 October 2014). "Goth queen goes pop, with anonymous-sounding results". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  12. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50: 12 October 2014 - 18 October 2014". Official Charts Company . Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  13. "Zola Jesus: Heatseekers Albums". Billboard . Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  14. "Zola Jesus: Independent Albums". Billboard . Retrieved May 9, 2018.