ZASKA’s newest track, ‘My Whole Heart (feat. Tolü Makay, God Knows & The Isolation Choir)’ will be released on 22 May and is available for pre-save now.
The song was recorded in isolation during the COVID-19 lockdown in Ireland this past April by 16 artists including Tolü Makay, God Knows (Rusangano Family) & The Isolation Choir with Wyvern Lingo, Faye O’Rourke (Soda Blonde), Jess Kav (BARQ/The Waterboys), Gemma Dunleavy, James Smith (Gypsies On The Autobahn), Danny Groenland (Danny G and the Major 7ths), and more.
A listening party on Zoom for fans is planned for Wednesday 20 May and an online single launch party will stream on Saturday 30 May. Watch @zaskamusic socials and zaskamusic.com for more information.
Isolation collaboration
Max Zaska is well known for his collaborations, so when he wrote ‘My Whole Heart’ in late March he called on his community of musicians to help him bring it to life. With non-essential travel at the height of the Coronavirus lockdown restricted to 2 km from home, it was impossible to gather everyone together to record in the usual way.
Instead, Max produced the song remotely, from his cottage in the Kildare countryside, relying on voice memos, emails, and messaging to instruct and coordinate the group effort. Each person recorded their part at home – from Limerick to Dublin – in isolation, with the equipment they had on hand. The individual tracks were mixed in 3 different locations to produce the final recording.
“Forget everybody else, who you wanna be?”
‘My Whole Heart’ is an uplifting song that encourages people to live without regret and be their authentic selves. Zaska explains further, “The Coronavirus has reminded us that life is fragile. All those plans that you wanted to ‘do someday’ can disappear in an instant, so seize the day and live life to its fullest now. Even in the face of a pandemic you can find joy and take steps to build the life you want.”
The video for ‘My Whole Heart’ pulls from the 16 artists’ at-home recordings and scenes from candid Zoom calls. Add in heartwarming scenes of people coming together in isolation and healthcare workers celebrating, and the video captures moments of happiness and encourages people to stay positive. The video was directed by Max Zaska and edited by Archie Hadden.
Sonically, Zaska explores modern electronic soul in “My Whole Heart” with choir and synth-drenched choruses that draw from Kanye West and Tame Impala, while the lo-fi verses show influence from Daniel Caesar and Yussef Dayes.
‘My Whole Heart’
Featured Vocals:
Tolü Makay
God Knows (Rusangano Family)
| The Isolation Choir: Karen Cowley, Caoimhe Barry, Saoirse Duane (Wyvern Lingo), Faye O’Rourke (Soda Blonde), Jess Kav (BARQ/The Waterboys), James Smith (Gypsies On The Autobahn), Carly Coonagh, Danny Groenland (Danny G & The Major 7ths), Nichola Hegarty, Keith Fennell Gemma Dunleavy |
Known for feel-good neo-soul that blends modern funk, jazz, and R&B, Max Zaska is the guitar-wielding songwriter at the helm of a supergroup of Irish talent. ZASKA’s revolving roster draws players and rising stars from across genres in the Irish music scene and included Hozier as the band’s original vocalist. You can find more information at zaskamusic.com or follow @zaskamusic on social media.
