ZG - ZG [Scissor And Thread]

Format: LP in printed sleeve + download card.
CAT: SAT054LP

ZG is the alias of Londoner Zansika Lachhani and Grant (aka Anthony Collins, the Tony in Frank & Tony). The project was born out of an online connection – Grant and Zan connected on SoundCloud, independently vibing on each other’s music and artistic approach.

In 2018, they began working together, developing several tracks, but eventually the project was put on hold due to other personal commitments. Fast forward to 2021: while sorting through old hard drives, Grant rediscovered the recordings and was struck by the music they had already created. Together, they began to rework and deepen the project, resulting in a dazzlingly beautiful seven-track LP.

The opening track, Jungle Times, sets the stage with an atmospheric, dreamlike intro that gives way to an idiosyncratic breakbeat and Zan’s vocal whispers, perfectly setting the tone and situating the sound somewhere between London and New York styles. It’s followed by the enigmatic Roll of Thunder, which draws its power from broken beat patterns, deep, soulful strings, and sonic layers reminiscent of 4Hero at their best.

When Young also brings a jazzy aesthetic to the forefront, with prominent drums and Rhodes chords unfurling into a melodic ecstasy. Ombre starts with a thick bassline and sharp synth stabs before developing into a psychedelic groove, with dense synth layers and subtle harmonic nuances. Similarly, Aura uses some of the same sonic palette, incorporating guitar touches and brighter pads that build a journey as exhilarating as it is melancholic. The first clearly lead vocal arrives with the penultimate track, Dog Days, which floats dreamily over ever-evolving synth layers and nervous rhythms. By the time Drift Out appears to usher in the final act of this exceptional LP, we are already in the clouds.