After showing musical aptitude at a young age, artist David Zee found himself on a musical path very early in his life, working his way towards his signature sound starting with his first band at the age of 16. In the years since, Zee has released several original albums beginning in the late ’90s and continuing through the present day. He currently releases music under the name Zanilonia, a moniker chosen for its uniqueness and representative of Zee’s “virtual ensemble”, where the music he creates is digitally assembled on his computer, regularly featuring contributions from hired guns. His recent single You Disarmed Your Robot Army is a comprehensive introduction to the wildly imaginative, no-holds-barred type of creativity that Zee has sought out within this project.
You Disarmed Your Robot Army has a structure that seems to pull on some ’80s influence from time to time, with bold, electric melodies and driving percussion sitting at the forefront. On the whole, it has a bit of a menacing feel, the synths carrying a foreboding tune for much of the arrangement. The heavy vocal effects at 1:49 sell the unsettled feeling even further. Most impressively, Zee arranged this song so that it could be performed entirely with his left hand – he had broken his right wrist just prior and employed the use of simple synth parts recorded in layers in order to create the soundscape of this track while still recovering from his injury.
From the title, you might guess that the subject matter of the track is not based on a deeply personal experience, and you’d be correct. Zee has mentioned that within this project, he has no desire to discuss personal issues or feelings in these songs; rather, he’d like to keep the focus on the music. And in this single, he’s done exactly that. Set in a vaguely futuristic world full of impending conflict and strife, this story is captivating because of its fantastical qualities, immersing the listener into a horror-filled sci-fi world that both fascinates and inspires.
It’s the bonafide uniqueness and artistry that keeps you coming back for more from Zanilonia. Between the ingenuity in its arrangement, the accessibility of the melodic parts, and the illustrative lyric work, there’s plenty to dig your teeth into on You Disarmed Your Robot Army. Fans of innovative, independent music that exists outside the realm of expectation in the electro-prog-rock space will enjoy this release and much of Zanilonia’s other work as well. Stream this distinctive single for yourself below.
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BELOW: Listen to You Disarmed Your Robot Army and connect with their website and social media platforms. Please support Zanilonia by visiting them online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music, or attending a live show! And, as always, thank you for supporting real music!
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