Written by Sofia Resnick
The new brain child of San Francisco-based group Zonk is “Half Human,” released June 21 on the Harmony Machine label. And it really is. The 30-minute album is an even mixture of electronic sounds and human sounds. In “Half Human,” Zonk incorporates myriad instruments, sounds, beats and scratches. All at once, it’s rap and trance and electronic and club music and melodic lyrics. Mix it all together, and you have quite rich fondue—trip-hop rock.
The Zonk foursome consists of female singer/songwriter Nic McFiendish, producer/musician/sound designer Dave L, guitarist/bassist/harmonica player Uncle Bergie, and turntabalist/vocalist Walt Dizzle.
The songs in “Half Human” are extremely well layered. The first track, “Nervous Excited Delighted (Dangerous)” aptly demonstrates Zonk’s ability to thread even layers of sound and music into four minutes and 37 seconds. Within the first 30 seconds of the song, six different rivers of music flow smoothly together and culminate into an ocean of well-blended sound. Most of the other tracks begin slowly, following into a mellow rhythm and then transitioning into climactic bursts. McFiendish’s voice is smooth and sultry and demonstrates a wide range of pitch and harmony.
Zonk certainly delivers adequate beats and mixes for dancing and grooving. It’s not to say that the whole album is original or nothing that you’ve heard before, but Zonk seems to be headed in the direction of creating a sound unique in style and fusion. And they manage to add enough energy to steady rhythms and rhymes to transcend trance and funky electronic music into a more rock and roll sound.
Since 1999, Zonk has been working hard to create a sound that successfully fuses electronic music, hip-hop and rock. They have released two CDs on San Francisco's Mission Underground Records, and in 2004 they released an EP, titled “Our Five Worst Songs” on the Harmony Machine label.
On a more personal note, McFiendish and husband Dave L are expecting a baby this October.
Listen to tracks from this album: