Having previously steered clear of the spotlight, London-based producer and writer Dom Zilla has been making music since the age of twelve. The beating heart behind a number of releases, including Lulu James’ hit Be Safe, Dom Zilla has now stepped forward with his own debut release.
The first track from Dom Zilla, Take Home, dropped earlier this year – a gorgeous sun-drenched track melding laid back beats and dream pop, all topped off with Dom Zilla’s soulful vocal. Now onto the second single from his upcoming EP, Cold is another stunning offering from Dom Zilla. Riding on a slow metronomic beat, that cuts through like Massive Attack’s Teardrop, the production is gloriously sparse. Pulsating synths and whispering cascades round out the sonic textures, however the real stand out is the vocal line.
Not having his lent his voice to a release previously, Dom Zilla is soulful without crooning. More human than smooth, it has nothing to do with the “new soul’ artists spinning out of Spotify at an alarming rate. Treating the vocals more like instrumentation than the main event, his light falsetto stretches out over the track in place of an instrumental top line. Luxuriously layering vocals as the track builds, the interjections washed through with effects hook you right from the start.
Cold is an evocative and sensual track, and one that rekindles a mesmerising trip-hop feel. Dom Zilla’s talents as a writer and producer come to the fore in this beautifully crafted release, a certain hesitancy to take the limelight is nearly tangible in his music, but it translates as an appealing modesty and earnestness. With both Take Home and Cold under his belt, Dom Zilla has proved that he is more than deserving of that spotlight.
The debut EP from Dom Zilla, Chasing Days, is scheduled for release this November.