Category: Popwarmer

His first single of the year, ‘Dive’, already showcased Zes opening up more than we were used to. With ‘Alright’, he is stepping up. Having been in a relationship for a while where he spent most of his energy helping out his partner in overcoming her troubles and making her feel better, Zes found himself unable to open up about his own fears and doubts and ultimately not being able to be the best version of himself. In ‘Alright’, Zes evaluates that situation and stares right into the eyes of the inner demon that influenced him.

Opening with a beautiful guitar strum and Zes’ calming voice while still containing the unique electronic sounds we know him for, ‘Alright’ has an increased indie sound that once again showcases Zes developing on not only a personal but on a musical level as well. The song is about getting to know your inner demons and doubts, facing them and ultimately telling them, it’s alright. It’s about accepting them and thereby taking ownership of your negative emotions, your negative behaviour and the painful memories they come with.

To Zes, ‘Alright’ is the second essential part to a continuous flow of self-development, he describes:

“There’s always new thought- and behavioural patterns emerging, some of them come from the heart, some of them come from the mind. ‘Alright’ to me is about acknowledging the pain in my heart, the judgement from my mind about that pain, and taking care of myself in creating a sense of ownership about my behaviour and feelings.”

‘Alright’ is Zes’ second song of the full EP he will be releasing on bitbird later in 2020.

About Zes

The moniker of Dutch musician, Joep le Blanc, Zes chronicles an enigmatic, deeply personal journey of self-discovery, told through the lens of contemporary electronic music.

Adopting a shadowy, experimental approach to his creative process, Zes unveiled the Darkened (2016) extended play to critical acclaim from industry tastemakers such as VICE, Your EDM, Magnetic Magazine and Kaltblut. Weaving stuttering bass movements alongside ethereal guitar phrasings and fleeting self-sung vocals, the album catapulted Zes to performances on festivals operated by PITCH, TheSoundYouNeed, Eurosonic, We Are Electric and Noisia Invites

Providing listeners with an intimate look into the non-deterministic state of love le Blanc found himself in for the past year, debut album Closer was one of many steps the young Dutch artist made towards a crucial emotional catharsis. ZES is now poised to continue this journey of self-actualization with his most reflective releases to date set firmly on the horizon of 2020.