ZES, a Netherlands native and a musical contributor to Fog Mountain Records, gives us insight to his musical identity through his recently released album DARKENED. Although he prefers to keep his real identity off the radar, his sheer talent indubitably shines through and creates a persona unlike any other producer in the music industry. His previously released albums, some being Hindsight and Love Will Take, feature many blissful melodies in which ZES himself sings and shows off his guitar skills. However, his new album DARKENED brings forward solemnity and eeriness, and gives you a further sense of what goes on in the depths of ZES’s own brain. Before listening to DARKENED, make sure you have a box of tissues; this album is definitely one of the most moving and powerful pieces I’ve heard this year.

The opening song, "Continuum," prepares you for the pensive and somber journey you are about to embark on. The album only features one other artist, Maydien, in the song entitled "Exit Void." Maydien provides strong vocals to an already gripping track, while ZES himself sprinkles in a couple of his own vocals throughout the entire album. Each song is so different than the next, but ZES’s talent seamlessly ties them together and makes the composition work. I would try to pick a favorite song on this album, but each song is too distinct in its own sound, each songs adds its own flavor to the album, and each song always seems to be more stunning and beautiful than the last. ZES’s innovative artistry and visionary sound define him as an artist and allow us to build an identity for him. Make sure to keep a close eye on ZES; you wouldn’t want to miss out on piecing together who he really is.

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Written By: Dominika Wilczek