Versions

Description

In the wake of the world tour for the album Conatus, Nika Roza Danilova (Zola Jesus) was invited to perform at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, one of the most prestigious contemporary/modern art museums. She seized this opportunity to work with a classical composer to arrange her songs for quartet. She then recruited JG Thirlwell (aka Foetus), one of the pioneers of New York industrial music from the early 80s, who, through his various projects (Manoerxia, Steroid Maximus, Wiseblood, or even the soundtracks for the Adult Swim series), remains recognizable for his cinematic, intense, and dramatic approach to music. Having worked with big bands, projects ranging from noise-rock to abstract electronic music, as well as chamber music, Thirlwell appears to be the ideal collaborator for Zola Jesus / Danilova. On Versions, they rework the rough edges of past albums, reinventing the songs. Without the electronic elements that structured the tracks, the songs become lighter and make it possible to reach a wider audience, one that might not have ventured into the techno-pop / industrial arena.