Big for You

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 artpop 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.