Zolo (music genre)
| Zolo | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Late 1960s |
Zolo is a music genre coined by radio DJ Terry Sharkie[1][2][3] around 1989[2] and popularized through his live radio show The Zany Zolo Musik Hour[1] which premiered on June 25, 1995.[1][3]
The genre, as codified by Sharkie, encompasses obscure music from different time periods which nonetheless shares certain similarities.[1] Zolo is characterized by "hyper jerky rhythms and cacophonous/ harmonious bleeps and boings."[1] Zolo artists played on The Zany Zolo Musik Hour included Perrey and Kingsley,[1] Godley & Creme,[1] the Residents,[1][3] XTC,[1][3] Pere Ubu,[1] Gentle Giant,[1][3] Bill Nelson,[1] Fred Frith,[1] and others.[1]
Characteristics
Zolo is characterized by "hyper jerky rhythms and cacophonous/ harmonious bleeps and boings,"[1] as well as by "boingy guitars, wobbly keyboards, polka dot percussions, hiccupping falsettos, jerky/staccoto beats, and lopsided rhythms."[4] It is a "crystallization" of different styles from the twentieth century "theatrical/ art rock/ cabaret tradition."[4] Terry Sharkie considers XTC, Bill Nelson, and Godley & Creme to be of special importance to the genre.[4]
History
A 1997 article by Terry Sharkie, called Zolo Synthesis: A Discography, outlines the "thematic history" of Zolo.[4][5] Sharkie claims that Zolo music had existed in "scattered forms" for "many years" by the time of writing, but had not had a name.[4] The artists discussed in the article "present puzzle pieces in the formation of Zolo as a musical style."[4]
Sharkie traces Zolo music back primarily to the late 1960s, when advancements in technology took place simultaneously with experimentation and the blurring of boundaries between music genres.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "What is Zolo?". geocities.com. Archived from the original on 2009-10-27. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ^ a b "What is ZoLo?". Zoloscope. 2006-07-26. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ^ a b c d e "Classifiche e Playlist - Last Night A Mixtape Saved My Life - Zolo: il non-genere :: Gli Speciali di OndaRock". OndaRock (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-04.
- ^ a b c d e f g "zolo discography". geocities.com. Archived from the original on 2009-08-29. Retrieved 2025-12-04.
- ^ "The Zolophile Home Page". geocities.com. Archived from the original on 2009-07-29. Retrieved 2025-12-04.