Zola Jesus’ prodigal EP

Apparently we are experiencing a resurgence of female teens and young adults with brilliant minds and prodigal musicianship.

Since Madonna and the arguably sometimes transgendered glam of David Bowie got old and less bold, the mainstream has been flooded with Gaga-esque phenoms who seem to understand what’s been done before and how to make it their own.

The twist involves being ironic as hell. 

Enter Zola Jesus, the moniker of 21-year-old chamber pop songbird Nika Rosa Danilova. With a string of successful albums and EPs, she has shown much promise with a stellar voice that fills even the most hollow caves and lyrics as creepy as an illuminati dream.
 
Her latest EP, the 4-track “Valusia,” takes what worked from the dark beauty of the “Stridulum” EPs and gives it a beat. Songs like “Sea Talk” and “Poor Animal” swoon in tides of cine-dramatic electronic waves. The rest of the EP inspires cerebral head bobs and hand claps. 

My only worry: If PJ Harvey’s “White Chalk” album and Bat For Lashes had a baby, “Valusia” would be one haunted, yet wicked smart offspring.