It's been a few years since the last Penelope Isles record. That one was pretty much my album of the year here in 2021, and so you could say I'm partial to Penelope Isles. Since then Jack Wolter of that band was involved with the fine posthumous Nell Smith record, and a few other things. He's here now with his new project called Cubzoa ahead of the album's release this week.
Unfold in the Sky kicks off with the rush of "In 2 Worlds", while the dreamy "Lost in You" conjures up a mood not entirely unlike that of Penelope Isles. Elsewhere, "Chewin' on My Lips" marries electronic textures to detached vocals for a really wonderful effect. "Dance with Me" is, however, nearly industrial in brief moments, with the lovely vocals from Jack Wolter dueling with clangs of percussion, and a slew of samples. This track is at least closer to Fad Gadget than the more dream-pop efforts elsewhere on the record.
This Cubzoa album is interesting enough to earn Jack Wolter fans outside of Penelope Isles. And I'm pretty sure that that duo is not over, so enjoy Unfold in the Sky as further proof of the skills of half of Penelope Isles, and hope that some of this experimentation here indicates new pathways for Penelope Isles to pursue on their next album at some point.
Unfold in the Sky by Cubzoa is released on Bella Union this week.
[Photo: Declan Haughian]