Zencore by ByZero: A Chaotic Masterpiece That’s Hard to Unhear
Let’s get one thing straight—Zencore isn’t your grandma’s jazz record. Nope, this 2011 Russian brainchild from ByZero is like someone threw free jazz, no wave, and avant-garde electronica into a blender, hit "puree," and then dared you to drink it. Spoiler alert: it’s sour, spicy, and kinda addictive.
The album straddles genres like a musical acrobat on too much coffee. You’ve got the gritty basslines courtesy of Anton Kolosov (who also mixed and mastered the whole shebang), Alexey Bobrovsky pounding away at drums like he’s trying to wake up his neighbor, and an army of saxophonists trading blows across tracks. And don’t even get me started on Katya Rekk’s synth work—it’s subtle but sneaky, creeping in when you least expect it.
Now let’s zoom in on two standout tracks because ain’t nobody got time for a track-by-track breakdown. First up, “Etu Pesniu Pel Gagagarin V Kosmose”—or as I call it, “That One Song About Yuri Gagarin Singing in Space.” This tune feels like floating through zero gravity while someone serenades you with a saxophone that's been dipped in liquid weirdness. It’s chaotic yet oddly uplifting, like watching a dog ride a skateboard downhill. The interplay between Nikolai Rubanov’s sax and Fyodor Fokin’s guitar creates these wild textures that stick to your brain like gum under a chair. Honestly, it’s not something you’d hear every day, but once you do, you can’t unhear it. Your Spotify algorithm will hate you afterward, though.
Then there’s “Twist Ling AM With Nick Rubanov,” which sounds exactly like its name suggests—a twisted little jam session where everyone forgot what key they were supposed to be playing in. But somehow, it works. Like, really works. There’s this moment around halfway through where the rhythm section locks in so tight, you’d think they rehearsed for years just to pull off those five seconds. Pair that with some squealing sax action from Rubanov himself, and boom—you’ve got a track that could soundtrack both a late-night existential crisis and a dance party in equal measure.
Oh, and props to ZonderZond for the artwork and layout. Whoever decided to slap such a minimalist cover on such maximalist music deserves a medal—or maybe a hug. Either way, it fits perfectly.
If Zencore teaches us anything, it’s that rules are overrated. Why stick to one genre when you can smash three together? Why keep things simple when you can make listeners scratch their heads and say, “Wait…is that good?” The answer is yes. Yes, it is.
So here’s my final thought: If aliens ever invade Earth and demand proof of our artistic evolution, toss them a copy of Zencore. They’ll either beam us aboard their spaceship out of respect or flee in terror. Either way, mission accomplished.
Rating: 8/10 – Because perfection is boring.
