EZLA - Outcasts (2017)

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Written by David Shouse, posted by blog admin

Textbook and traditional are not words that will help in the description of the flagship release, Outcasts, by California to Tennessee transplant EZLA. The singer/songwriter/musician is neither wed to simply West Coast influences nor the rural trot of the country and western capital of the world where she now hangs her hat. She’s stumbled upon this musical no man’s land where electronic instrumentation is the featured component, in addition to her earthy rise/fall/stop/start vocal style that makes playful usage of word-crammed verses that amazingly roll off the tongue and glorious pop choruses that go straight for the pay-off.  

There is no filler to be found here and no bad tracks. The only mark against EZLA’s debut is that a few of the tracks come off a bit same-y when tempo is considered. Although this uniform approach to rhythm and backbeats is broken by sudden sea changes and shifts in volume, as well as choruses that musically go against some of the darkness by sounding pretty darn happy and carefree. The title track leads the EP off and is a pitch-perfect example of EZLA’s abstract musical blueprint. Listeners are the on the receiving end of a jagged, angular beat that seems to start-up and shutdown at random until the song goes for the harmonic paydirt as the keyboards become more prominent in their cascade of phased/flanged grooves and a chorus that is practically tailor-made for radio airplay. “Skeletons” works up a similar sweat but might be just a few extra BPM in the verses as the song swirls in fuzzy, distorted discordance that’s akin to the 90s pop/industrial movement’s abrasive catchiness. You’ll never mistake EZLA for Nine Inch Nails even if the general aesthetics (edgy singing, twisted lyrics and a sonic arrangement meant to be played LOUD) is a kindred spirit to Reznor and company.  

The romantic “Satellites” is less aggressive and pointed than its predecessors, trading the harsher, noisier textures and jarring pace changes for echoing, reverbed ambience, soft yet expressive vocals drenched in vibrato while deliberate beat placements (that are less cut up and mashed) yield a more tangible song structure.  This welcome restraint is shattered by “Hangman’s” innovative vocal mapping, meticulous synth stacking, alien and mentally affecting trip-hop choruses and EZLA’s organically warped lyrics.  The cinematic musical backdrops reckon of experimental artists from past and present.  One can hear bits and pieces of VAST, Placebo, Joydrop, Plumb, Portishead and Massive Attack while listening to this track or any of the EP’s 5 well-rounded tunes, for that matter.  Cryptic and bent by black humor, “Psycho Killers” is the darkwave pop song equivalent of 80s slasher flicks with lyrics and musical undertones that only further this emphasis.  

You can allude to points of reference all night long when describing EZLA’s debut Outcasts but the fact remains that this is a wholly interesting piece of work that only sounds like EZLA.  The brutally honest underpinnings of the lyrics and shapeshifting sonic deconstruction won’t be for everyone but those that can handle the turbulence will find plenty to enjoy here.  Some stronger variations in tempo will be welcome on her next release, although the slight sameness of the beat programming ensures that open listeners will latch on and gleefully stick around on EZLA’s wicked ride.