For someone who’s learning to let go of control, Zuli Jr. is locked in when it comes to the concept of his most recent album, “Stop It God”. A reflection on everyday technology and its impact on his own self-confidence, Zuli Jr.’s latest work is inspired by the dystopian worlds of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Black Mirror, combining future-forward beats and R&B references. ‘Stop It God.’ is also riddled with interruptions of all too familiar notifications noises from a Siri-inspired virtual assistant named Daisy, cleverly named after Daisy from The Great Gatsby. In the same way Gatsby changed everything about himself for Daisy (and it was really all for nothing), Zuli Jr. spends lots of time in this album reflecting how we change ourselves to fit certain narratives on social media. Learning all of this made ‘Stop It God.’ so much more fantastic – even the title itself is a statement left open to interpretation – and the fact that this album is so astute is impressive on Zuli’s part.
In a journey that is equal parts infectious and thoughtful, ‘Stop It God.’ requires a start to finish listen-through the first time around, as the narrative is important to capturing its full concept. Packed with cultural references and universal truths that are smart, quick, and spot-on, tracks like ‘Monolith’ create an image of the “social media fog” that we know so well, while others like ‘Her Manner’ are catchy yet dark, touching on themes of addiction. The last two tracks of the album, “Daisy” and “Find My Way,” are the grand finale that close the album out in such a satisfying conclusion that it makes the full listen well worth it.
Thorough and engaging, ‘Stop It God.’ was an easy listen that simultaneously pulled me into reflection, leaving me wondering about my own world and how easy it is to feel like the center of your own universe. If you’re looking for something new to pull you in and leave you with a fresh perspective, this album is it.
Out now via: Nurtured Ideas
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