by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
Since the turn of the decade, Lorena Quintanilla has made a name for herself as one half (guitarist/vocalist) of Guadalajara, Mexico's Lorelle Meets The Obsolete, an incredible psych and shoegaze band with a reputation for exceptional live shows and a catalog of equally impressive albums to match. Following last year's release of Balance, Quintanilla has been focusing on her solo project, J. Zunz, and her hypnotic debut album, Silente. Set for release on May 5th via Monofonus Press (Spray Paint, Death Stuff, Lié), J. Zunz trades in the dense swirls of Lorelle Meets The Obsolete's shoegaze for an experimental post-punk sound, thick with atmosphere, stinging synths, cold repetition, and haunting melodies.
"Circle of Time," the record's first single is sparse and hypnotic, Silente's most gentle moment; a song that is both warped and manipulated but unflinchingly human. Built on a slow creeping synth line and rich layers of cloudy vocals, J. Zunz creates a choir of rhythmic coos and sighs to form an otherworldly dirge of haunting beauty. The ripple of compressed electronics roars like a faint earthquake without overpowering the gentle textures, instead working together to create a warm air of hope. As Quintanilla sings "I've travelled through the shadows, when I miss you, and I miss you, so let me fix this, let me fix it all" it's equally reflective and ominous, a manipulation that "Circle of Time" and it's thick sonic swell capture perfectly.
J. Zunz's Silente is out May 5th via Monofonus Press, with US tour dates to come.