Timing - Zuzu’s groovy, quirky, and bright single for your summer

Zuzu’s latest single, ‘Timing,’ walks the line between bright optimism and harsh reality. With twangy and distant guitars, a grooving bassline and drums, and a distinct vocal performance, this indie rock track seems to have a mixture of 90s and 2010s influence that feels fresh and innovative.

Zuzu Stranack has captured a unique sound both in her writing and in her singing. Her lead vocals feature a sort of lilt that works well with the feel of the track. 

One may find her voice similar to Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath in more ways than one. In addition to her lead vocal performance, the distant backup vocals complement her voice and the overall sound of the track very nicely with lush harmonies. This holds particularly true in the choruses, when the backup vocals proclaim and repeat, “I just need a little sunshine on me.”

The choruses explode into a brighter and harder banger than the preceding verses with shining synths and a more straightforward feel. Here, we hear the hope and proverbial sunshine in which the song places at its core. In this way, Zuzu has managed to emulate the back and forth of the mood of this song: struggle and contemplation in the verses, and aspiration and desire for the better things to come, whether that be a person or event.

One section that sticks out is the bridge, where the track becomes a little more vulnerable and Zuzu’s voice is more intimate. Here, she says, “I’m only a day away/from packing it in to start again/I’m only one or two days away.” This is the part where the singer is experiencing something we’ve all experienced: where you’re on the last straw of something and you think, “just a little longer.” But, we can always start again, even better than we were. It’s actually fresh and insightful, yet understated way to get this idea across, and I love this moment.

Finally, the last moment of the song has a cadence that features the chromatic transition used throughout the song. This moment mimics our way of asking questions, where we raise the tone of our voice. I think this is the perfect way to end the track. It neither leans towards the optimism of the choruses or the struggle of the verses.

With the excellent writing and equally impressive performance in ‘Timing,’ I’m not exaggerating when I say that Zuzu is a one-of-a-kind artist who I expect to grow much more popular in the future.

Christian Koller

@ChristianKoll17

Image: Timing Official Single Artwork