Zola Jesus has a track called 'Night'.
I'm in love from the start. Whispers and deep strings set the mood before the thumping bass beat begins. Marching drums add a notion of inexorability to the pace, constantly alluding to a dark destination. The vocals seem a little fragile at times, maybe due to the fact that Zola was 19 at the time of this track's release, but the mood is succinct and the clarity of emotion is kept throughout, so after a single listen it didn't matter anymore.
The ghoulish vocal echoes are masterfully placed. These augmentations unsettle you just enough before the drums hit a steadier marching rhythm and carry you deeper into the core of this track whether you like it or not. I like it when a tune has such solid mood mastery that you feel encompassed in the world it creates.
Once the beat picked up the pace I got goosebumps. There is a real sense of world-ending doom in the pit of what I consider a love song. The dark mood is rich and epic, and to date I have yet to see the artist recreate something this tantalizingly gothic.
There is no distinct third section, instead the lyrics take a stronger role before the pounding march dissolves into ghostly echoes. It's a hauntingly dark track that conveys a tangible notion of the very end of everything. A love song for anyone who has even the slightest romance with finality and loss.
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