Radio Slave’s Pyramids of Mars, the label notably releasing his collaborative work with Joel Martin as Quiet Village but shuttered for the past few years, is re-ignited with this kaleidoscopic haze of ethereal pop, modern R&B, and electronica from Zeb Wayne & Ziwi.
Following the 2017 ‘Wulfman’ EP under their ZW alias, which included remixes from heavy hitters Alva Noto, Calibre, and Radio Slave, Zeb Wayne & Ziwi bring their first full-length effort ‘This Playlist Is Private’ to Radio Slave’s recently relaunched Pyramids Of Mars.
Across the record, Morrocan-born singer & songwriter Ziwi’s captivating vocal performance drifts and swirls around Wayne’s deft production. Reminiscent of contemporaries such as FKA Twigs and Kučka, the LP walks the line between considered electronica and popular sensibilities, delivering an engaging and immersive eleven-track piece. From the glitched-out opening sequence of ‘Intro’ to the crunchy, orchestral closer ‘Outro’, all tracks across the LP blend live musicianship, synthesised jams, and delicate vocals together to form a kaleidoscopic haze of the ethereal, bringing pop, modern R&B, and cinematic soundscapes together for an engaging and cohesive listening experience.
The album was written over a matter of weeks, but finished over a matter of years. The music offers a reflection of both that journey and life as a whole: there are moments of simplicity and complexity, light and darkness, joy and sorrow. The sound is a blend of live musicians and laptop beats, un-planned synth jams and fully scored string arrangements, demo vocal recordings and crafted vocal harmonies. It is an amalgamation of a lot of thought, and no thought at all. ~ Zeb Wayne
Zeb Wayne is a musician, DJ and producer currently based in London and has previously written and produced for artists such as Sevaliza and Jay Lewn. Pyramids Of Mars is a label run by Matt Edwards, aka Radio Slave, which has released tracks and remixes from Quiet Village, Joe Claussell, Vince I. Watson, Francois K, Rouge Mécanique and more since 2012.