Zu — Jhator

Ambition, aspiration and deep soulful explorations are crucial for Zu, who have been broadly questioning and evolving their musical identity for almost two decades, developing their musical vocabulary with every release and collaboration. All of their strongest inspirations and artistic reference points have produced a very varied output, evolving from one album to another.

For their new two track album, Jhator, Zu turn to ancient Tibetan funeral practice as their starting point, and much like the practice itself, it can be seen as the beginning of a new journey in a different form. Ancient Egyptian texts, and specifically those unlocked in the book The Dawning Moon of the Mind also inform the direction of the album.

Opening with the deeply sorrowful and respectful “A Sky Burial” this album has a broad palette of sonic references within it. Reaching deep into the Tibetan rituals we are led solemnly through a procession and rite of passage into the next realm of our beings journey. With the birdsong and noises from the earth intermingling with drawn out chants and deep bass drones this is a mass of subtleties and nuances. Those nuances change and develop into possibly the slowest doom rock ever as the track hits the 18 minute mark before we enter the place of no return and emptiness. And its these steady, almost unrecognisable, shifts in sound and style that take you to the place where the dead are delivered and we begin the next phase.

And this is track two , “The Dawning Moon Of The Mind” which continues where the first track left off: in nothingness comes the conclusion, and the peace therein. I do like the idea of this being two sides of the same album. The motion and soundlessness of turning the LP over to then continue your passage forwards and feel they have attacked this album with that idea in mind. This opens with less than the first track but quickly progresses beyond this, becoming more like the day to day goings on of life after death. We are listening to skittish and snatched sounds passing us by before we settle down in to a more recognisable place and find ourselves above the world, watching our own mourners.

This is beautifully and precisely mixed music that pays homage to the likes of Coil and to some lesser degree Pink Floyd in it’s execution. There is a wonderment and deliberateness to this music that really shows what this band are capable of. An outstanding album that you can lose yourself in and discover your own journey through.Simply stunning.