Zana Messia, Angelized “11:11”
Even after 11 years, the chemistry between Zana Messia and Angelized is still there and maybe stronger than ever. 11:11 is a marvelous album that travels between the crossing of soul, pop, and R&B effortlessly and gracefully. The creative sparks and timeless portrait of highly relatable situations within 11:11 make the record an unreplicable history in both journeys of music-making.
Z. M. A. takes cues from artists such as Prince, Amy Winehouse, and The Weeknd. Nostalgia meets a modern taste, weaving into the festive celebration of sounds without boundary. The duo is also inspired by Balkan pop music.
Revolving around the increasingly digitalized world, 11:11 touches on isolation, longing, distance, and loneliness. The album opens with an unorthodox synth pop-infused R&B track, “Photoshopped” explores the disassociation of human touch. Electronic pulsation is robotic and distant in nature.
The consistent, restless presentation throughout the track puts a pause on time and the rest of the world as if all it’s just an illusion. The spiraling sensation revolves around Zana Messia’s dynamic, R&B-fused vocal is echoing in your ear with a darkened edge of dissonance. The track ends on a haunting prolonged note that reminds you of a flatline on a machine.
“Cali Skyline” sets its scene under the nightlight of Hollywood. The track tells a story about a co-dependent, drug-infused relationship that are spinning out of control. The touch of California’s unique vibe is rich and nostalgically present in the expansiveness and space-filling soundscapes. A blend of coldness and warm coastal weather under the unspoken toxicity and dependency somehow summarizes more than it intended.
Just like what the title suggests, “Grey” is a heartbreaking track about the loss of love. The world is turning grey, filled with sadness. The loss of taste and motivation signals chaos and defeat. The traveling sounds on the back of the wall capture the heaviness and dizziness of the depressive state of mind. As a sad song, “Grey” is a poised musical expression.
“Boogeyman” invistigates the connection between unhealed childhood trauma and abusive patterns in adulthood. The chilling guitar line hints the psychological aspect of our behaviors and patterns. “Human Wasteland” expresses the built-up sexual tension in an unexpected way with intensified, almost abstract 80s vibe fused with synth-pop and soul masterfully mixed together.
