Big for You
Released
Log in to like this album.
Log in to hide this album from future recommendations.
Log in to save this album to your lists.
No active filters.
Some years after her debut EP Ache of Victory and various other releases and collaborations, including a truly remarkable 2020 version of Talk Talk’s late-period classic “I Believe In You,” the LA-based Zsela made her full-length bow in 2024 with Big For You, another compelling instance of the artistic explorations possible in R&B’s realm. Zsela’s calm, focused keen of a voice is compelling — there’s a cool control that suggests everyone from Nina Simone to Q. Lazzarus — while the sense of controlled space and carefully placed silence throughout the album is a remarkable calling card. The moody, passionate energy of “Lily of the Nile” starts things off — the spoken-word break against further piano work makes for a remarkable coda — and from there, with production help from Daniel Aged and Gabe Wax as well as guest turns ranging from Marc Ribot to Jasper Marsalis, Big For You often feels a really remarkable late ’80s art pop album transformed in a new century. Other singles like “Not Your Angel” and “Fire Excape” are no less striking, while “Brand New” and the moody guitar-led “Easy St.” further the album’s range.