by Dan Goldin (@paintingwithdan)
Wishbone Zoe is the long running solo project of Western, MA’s Zosia Kochanski (who is also an amazing animator), a project that has covered a lot of ground over the past decade, from gentle acoustic singer/songwriter territory to experimental sound collage and beyond. An encapsulation of both the natural world and the surreal, it’s often best to expect the unexpected, embracing the art of Kochanski and her collaborators as it evolves. Last year’s Mirco-Mirage EP offered a delightful dose of sugar spun indie pop that felt both detached and disorienting, taking on new artistic shapes with each passing moment. As brief as it might have been, that record captured the freedom at the core of her music, careening and psychedelic one moment, gentle and dreamy the next. Set to release Blue Distances on May 3rd via Sad Cactus Records (pond 1000, amiright?, Mothpuppy), the album pulls Wishbone Zoe from chaotic experimentation to softly focused folk songwriting.
“Happy Loud,” the record’s lead single is a wistful acoustic guitar led song that really shines thanks to Kochanski’s breezy vocal melody. Stripped back and void of excess, the song radiates in its own light, captured with images of singing birds, roses, rainbows in pale golden skies, and the world extending from the windows. Paired with the steady pulse of a shaker, Wishbone Zoe’s vocals and guitar progression play together beautifully, sweeping and punctuated, free but vividly composed.
If you’re in the Northampton area, be sure to catch Wishbone Zoe’s album release show on May 3rd at Deep Thoughts Record Shop with support from All Feels (who is playing a rare solo set).