''Okovi'' ( en, Shackles) is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter

Zola Jesus Nika Roza Danilova (born Nicole Rose Hummel; April 11, 1989), known professionally by her stage name Zola Jesus, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her music has been noted for combining elements of electronic, industrial, ...

. It was released on September 8, 2017 by

Sacred Bones Records Sacred Bones Records is an American independent record label founded in 2007 and based in Brooklyn, New York. The label has released recordings from artists including Zola Jesus, David Lynch, John Carpenter, Blanck Mass, Crystal Stilts, Maris ...

. The album was written in Danilova's hometown in

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

, where she retreated after dealing with depression and dark times experienced by her close friends.

Critical reception

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, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an

average In ordinary language, an average is a single number taken as representative of a list of numbers, usually the sum of the numbers divided by how many numbers are in the list (the arithmetic mean). For example, the average of the numbers 2, 3, 4, 7 ...

score of 79, based on 25 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Emma Madden of '' Clash'' praised the album, saying "the production is absolutely masterful. The conviction is assured; the weightiest of subjects: that of 'life' and 'death' are tackled and shackled by Zola expertly." ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

''s Sasha Geffen said "''Okovi'' showcases the searing, fully-formed music of Nika Danilova, an album of close personal experiences rendered into urgent goth-pop songs as emotional as they are necessary."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

critic Heather Phares called it "a deeply comforting album," further stating: "''Okovi'' is some of Zola Jesus' purest-sounding, most profound music in years." Emily Mackay of ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...

'' called it "an album to light the way through the darkest hours." Writing for '' Drowned in Sound'', Pieter J Macmillan said "''Okovi ''won't topple ''

Stridulum II ''Stridulum II'' is the second full-length studio album release (although it is considered her first in the UK) by the American singer-songwriter Zola Jesus, released by the German label Souterrain Transmissions on August 23, 2010. The album comb ...

'' as the most essential Zola Jesus record, but it's another excellent record that once again showcases a unique and powerful voice." '' Under the Radar''s Billy Hamilton described the album as "a deeply emotive and enthralling journey." Lisa Wright of ''

DIY "Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and sem ...

'' wrote: "Heavy with feeling throughout, it makes for a record that's often a tough listen. But for cathartically allowing herself to tackle life's most difficult subjects, you've got to applaud her." Sam Shepherd of ''

MusicOMH MusicOMH (stylized as musicOMH) is a London-based online music magazine which publishes independent reviews, features and interviews from across all genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B. History MusicOMH was founded and launched by ...

'' stated that "sometimes it sounds bleak, sometimes it sounds glorious, but it's in embracing the full gamut of life experience, as Zola Jesus does here that nothing becomes everything. The shackles might still be on, but this is the sound of an artist reveling in freedom."

Accolades

Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Okovi''. *

– vocals, co-production * Alex DeGroot – co-production, mixing * James Kelly – co-production * Ted Byrnes – percussion * Julia Sonmi Heglund – double bass * Shannon Kennedy – cello, electronics * Lauren Elizabeth Baba – viola * Leah Zegar – violin * Rachel Grace – violin * Heba Kadry – mastering *

Jesse Draxler Jesse Draxler is an American visual artist, illustrator and art director. Biography Jesse Draxler grew up in a rural town in Wisconsin. His family had an automobile repair service and as a child he used to draw cars, trucks and engines for hours ...

– artwork

Charts

References

{{Authority control 2017 albums Sacred Bones Records albums Zola Jesus albums