written by hashnain patel
Isaac Zale’s first track of the new year, Annabelle begins on a note of bitterness. On a relationship that should have been ten toes and ten rings deep. Yet, “back on the ground,” knowing with a bone-deep certainty, of the plastic that has come to replace what should have been natural. A bid between “Serpents and snakes and vipers,” as Zale falls between State lines, trying to find a semblance of an answer amongst shifting tides. Yet, for the noir elements of the track, it’s befittingly clear-headed, and unconsuming.
Where others would dive into the far reaches of longing and love, Zale represents a skim through its waters. Of knowing they ain’t right, but allowing the moment to exist regardless. Slightly downtrodden, yet neither angry or boastful. It displays a certain weariness to the situation, and those going forward. It’s real as fuck. Neither glamorous, nor uplifting. It’s simply a moment within the matrix of Zale’s life that leaves us feeling like an overarching viewer of his escapades. And somehow, through this, Zale crafts a track so weary it feels almost cathartic. Derelict emotions finally finding an avenue to be released. Yet it’s those neglected emotions, at once temperate, but prone to slicing through thoughts and emotions that Zale brings to light. That oh so memorable weariness that pervades through Zale’s whole discography.
On his 2nd track of the year, Isaac Zale returns to his slow tempo, simplistic beats that allow the melancholy emotions to so effectively pervade through the track. Yet, the perfect match between all three characteristics isn’t unplanned, or a happy accident. As sole credit on the track, Zale wrote it, produced it, mixed, and mastered the track, curating an inner realm, within his thoughts lonesome. That isn’t to say, Annabelle produced by Swish “Maadrhino,” wasn’t blended just as well. Rather, it should highlight the capabilities of Zale to work with “No budget, No Label.” A concept he’s ran with, as EP. 2 of the series highlights Zale’s journey through creating the track, from start to finish.
The chorus of the track stands out, as Zale raps, “I’ll do my dance with the rottweilers, Stick out my neck for a shock collar, I can’t feel the love no more, Cut off my Wings and I’ll Soar…” And as the polyphony hits its stride, and Zale’s vocals crackle like a disconnecting phone line, the track peeters to a now familiar end. Not a word of recompense, or finality. It’s easy to get lost in Zale’s world, before you start envisioning your own. The moments you’re made of, and whether you’re better off having lived through them. A quandary as old as time.
And so, we don’t necessarily get a conclusion to Zale’s strife, but he does have me questioning whether we’ll get an answer on the next project, album, or single he decides to release. Regardless of the form, to breathe through, and create through strife and pain, is one of the oldest art forms, and it seems like Zale’s got a knack for it. So stay tuned, and check out Issac Zale’s latest tracks, Annabelle, and Rottweilers out now.