Album Review: Zie’l – ‘Pronounced ZY-EL’
Artist: Zie’l
Album: Pronounced ZY-EL
Street Date: 9/2/14
Record Label: Dream Label Group
Genre: R&B
iPod Pick: Relentless
Zie’l is Keyondra Lockett, Crystal Bell and Christina Bell, three phenomenal ladies who are ready to bring a new sound into the already oversaturated genre of R&B. And I love what they bring in that it’s bold and fresh and every now and then you hear a sound or ad-lib or solo (Take Me As I Am) that makes you go ‘that’s some hard work!. I love the storytelling route ‘Beautiful’ takes in reverting it all to God’s goodness.
Determined which features A1 Bold shows us that though these ladies might have their hands raised to the skies, they’ve got their feet planted on the earth (with their hands akimbo maybe). Apart from the pulsating beat which actually is rare in today’s music and reminiscent of the late 90’s music of artist like Brandy, Kelli Williams, 702 (especially ‘Where Ma Girls At’ would come to mind) and Destiny’s Child (Think ‘Bug a Boo’), we hear non-clichéd multi-meaning lyrics like ‘I can’t Stay in Bed’. It takes some artistry to write lyrics that makes sense literally and at the same time when extrapolated as metaphor.
Purify Me takes things slower and groovy, adopting a jazz house style with big voice type vocals. Lyrics like ‘You hear me if I seek you diligently’ on this track are bound to take personal faith up a notch. Relentless is that open-roof car summer song we’ve been waiting for. Even though RnB styled it’s one we want to drive through town to like most pop songs. And the chorus entry is almost everything.-Powerful!
State of Emergency is grounded in vocals and offers church music a new keeper. A kind of distortion/transition happens musically on ‘Take Me As I Am’, it’s beautiful, it’s creative, it’s powerful. It is somewhere between the first chorus and second verse.
Good music can happen without heart but I think it’s a plus and a gift to the audience when an artist puts their heart out alongside the artistry they have to offer. Zie’l does this and I wonder for the group the moments of vulnerability they might have faced in recording this record cause writing and singing with heart can leave you raw at times. This is the reason a lot of artist run from this feat. It’s their heart, it’s their story not just clichéd gospel music. You would hear the hours of hard work. And no, I wasn’t there. In fact I haven’t met the ladies but their music is something, evidence enough that though 8 years coming, this is only the beginning.
Download ‘Pronounced ZY-EL‘ here!
