After I listened to ZOOLOOK’s “Power of the People (Radio Edit),” it was as if my heart was beating harder than before. Being a music nerd who needs tracks to touch our emotions and to get us dancing, I found this release to be truly inspiring. In “Power of the People (Radio Edit),” ZOOLOOK, from San Francisco, mixes vintage influences to give a soul-funk-electronic track that feels like a protest from Marvin Gaye, Parliament-Funkadelic and Kraftwerk. It is old-fashioned, shocking and totally alive in the best sense.
Right away, the percussion stands out in a dynamic and bold way. The vocals in ZOOLOOK’s song are easy and in charge, supported by lively bass and lively horns that march along like a ’70s crowd on the streets. After that, a female voice comes in, bringing the warmth of gospel and the breathy backing vocals carry the melody to higher levels. When I listened to it, the music seemed to say, “We are all experiencing it together.” The radio cut is compact, making sure that the energy in the song is still there and impossible to avoid.
What really interests me is how close-knit the fanbase is. Taking after the honesty in music from those decades, the song calls for everyone to work together and feel empowered. Reminds me of the times I played my dad’s old records and felt the songs had something to say. Since the full-length version is out on Bandcamp and ZOOLOOK’s official website, it seems directly how ZOOLOOK wants it to be heard, more intimate.
Whenever I feel like things are heavy, this is the track I turn up to prove that music can still inspire great change. “Power of the People” has a strong beat and it celebrates dancing as much as it celebrates taking action against injustice. I feel that ZOOLOOK has made something that will last.
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