It has always been strange to me how indie bands like Zoo Legacy has managed to stay hushed up in the music scene. Since their first explosive EP release in 2011, they launched themselves full force into the indie world with a unique twist. Instead of relying on the ever popular synths and effects that are readily available, they chose to incorporate an uncommon element: hip-hop. This Canadian quartet has been slowly but surely raising their name on a pedestal by playing in multiple festivals, such as Canadian Music Festival, NXNE, and Bluefest.
Along with great guitar hooks and drum beats that you expect from an indie band, quickly get blindsided by the hip-hop style singing. At first listen, it took me a minute to comprehend how fitting these two styles really complement each other. There isn't anything fancy or complex about this mix, so why haven't many other bands shone through? It's one thing to have a unique style, it's another to execute it. Today, EARMILK is proud to bring you an exclusive early look at Zoo Legacy's latest EP, City Light Glow which is bound to drop on September 5.
I have been in contact with Zoo Legacy for quite some time now. They have experienced some delays in fully completing the EP, but I didn't care. That only meant they are careful and passionate about making their tunes the best they can before release. After my first listen through City Light Glow, I can only say it was definitely worth the wait.
As I touched on before, Zoo Legacy has the components of any other indie band, which includes guitars, bass, drums, piano, synths, and electronic effects. However, it's their hip-hop persona that really carries them beyond being yet another indie band. First up on City Light Glow is "City Light Glow". This track has a slightly dark tone which is only emphasized more by the guitar in overdrive coupled with the classic hip-hop drum beats. You will also notice the singer's talented flow in this particular track. This is actually quite the norm in a majority of their tunes. So get yourself ready, it's only the beginning.
The follow-up to the opening track is "L.K.U.T.". This track was released into the wild a little while ago along with an official music video, yet it still happens to be my favorite of the bunch. This tune is quite hip-hop heavy, with a bit of a party mood to liven things up. Starting with an echoing guitar, it's quickly overshadowed by the prominent drum beat and the fast-spitting singer's flow. With addicting verses and a catchy chorus, this song makes for a fantastic addition to Zoo Legacy's fan-grabbing arsenal. Crank those speakers up.
"Dying Song" is the checkpoint of the EP. As you may infer, this track definitely has a darker mood and darker underlying messages interwoven within the lyrics. Out of the total five songs on City Light Glow, this one is by far the heaviest in effects. This by no means makes the tune the worse so far, it just makes it very different. However, it's like Zoo Legacy knew about our inference about this song. In the last 40 seconds of the song, a sexy guitar solo appears out of nowhere just to completely contradict our assumption.
I absolutely loved this surprise towards the end of "Dying Song", showing that they can indeed rock out if they wanted to, which eludes to the next coming song, "Scene Stealer". They blow you out of the water by starting off with a rocking guitar riff that is accompanied shortly after with heavy bass and loud drums. The beginning of this track is anything but short of rock, which just so happens is the main instrumental style of this piece. Throughout the track, you'll hear edgy guitaring, rock-style drumming, and subtle bass. It's like Zoo Legacy is trying to send us a message that says they can rock out if they wanted, but chose to strut down the hip-hop path more than anything. Even though this may not seem like anything too special, it's still a great piece that you can effectively say, "I rocked out to hip-hop".
"Echo" is the final track of City Light Glow, and for a good reason. This particular tune in my opinion defines what Zoo Legacy is all about. In this track, you'll hear a good amount of indie styled execution partnered with the characteristic hip-hop singing. These two aspects are balanced fantastically which makes for a rare tune that you can't find most anywhere else. The layering isn't complicated. The instrumental aspects aren't terribly difficult to re-create. However, it's the way you execute and master yourself and your own style that really makes a song wonderful and unique. Yet another catchy song that deserves more attention.
When I first discovered Zoo Legacy, I was immediately hooked. Their indie rock style blended with hip-hop singing reeled me in. It's not that they incorporate those styles with one another, it's the fact that they mix them successfully to create their own persona and style that works for them beautifully. Zoo Legacy is currently unsigned at the moment, but I predict that they'll receive a lot of opportunities in the future if they continue producing quality music. Be sure to check back on their Facebook homepage on September 5 to snag a free download of City Light Glow.
Zoo Legacy. Keep tabs on them.
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