Audiopile Review: The link between NYC’s Scissor & Thread and Vancouver’s own Pacific Rhythm grows a little stronger with this sophomore album from the duo ZG. For those just tuning in, ZG is comprised of vocalist & producer Zansika Lachhani and house/techno producer Grant, the latter is also known as the Tony half of the duo Frank & Tony. Frank & Tony, many of you might recall, had a stunning EP of ambient-house on Pacific Rhythm released late last year. The Frank half of Frank & Tony is Francis Harris, who runs the Scissor & Thread label and also issued the first album for ZG. Got it? Good. If you found yourself immersed in that Frank & Tony’s EP or kept going back to their vocal-forward deep house of Ethos, the duo’s full length from a few months back, ZG is gonna be a must-hear. While downtempo appears to be having a bit of resurgence as of late, most producers skirt the edges, merely dipping in for added atmosphere. ZG dive headlong into it. A warm blending of house, jazz and smokey breakbeats, ZG fondly recall the best of genre while inching it forward just a smidge with a fresher take that veers the well-worn sound just a little deeper, Lachhani’s breathy vocals bring an extra air of sensuality. Essential summer soundtracking.

Good news! Pacific Rhythm returns with its first long player of 2024 on July 5th from ZG, a collaborative effort from Zansika Lachhani and Grant (aka Tony from Frank & Tony). The LP titled “Out Of The Unknown” is the followup to the duo’s first incredibly well-received self-titled LP that landed back on NYC-based label Scissor & Thread in 2022.

Over the course of 6 tracks, ZG takes their sound a step further, building rich, deep, and complex rhythm patterns paired with thoughtful and unexpected musical arrangements. The voice of Zansika ties it all together to create a unique and singular vision of modern deep dance music informed by the duo’s life-long musical journey.

“Out Of The Unknown” effortlessly flows through dramatic atmospheric downtempo landscapes, MPC-style beatmaking, late 90’s deep house, and beautifully builds a bridge between UK and US-inspired sounds. Enjoy the trip! It’s certainly a beautiful one.