Knowing what to expect from a Zoos of Berlin release can prove to be a hard task, as their influences are wildly kaleidoscopic referencing art-rock, glam, jazz, electronic, bossanova, afrobeat, even punk. While their sound is instantly pleasing to the ear, the result is one that isn’t just pop as much as it isn’t just experimental. Their latest work, the leftfield pop masterpiece Pallister Chant finds Zoos focused on looking towards the future. Produced at the band's studio above a recycling center in Detroit, Pallister Chant was recorded and mixed by the band’s drummer Collin Dupuis (whose recent engineering credits also include The Black Keys and Carl Craig).
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There’s a haunting element to “Haven’t Eyes,” for certain, but it’s not the sort of over spookiness you might find in a Nick Cave song: the track is poppy and danceable, with an ’80s art-rock vibe throughout. It’s built off of a pretty killer guitar riff, but the band is keen to mix that with some neatly unexpected sounds.
At the complete opposite end of the spectrum from the guttural, industrial style you might expect from a Detroit band, and Zoos of Berlin are similarly averse to stereotypes, playing high-minded, beautifully-orchestrated electronic rock that pays homage to the likes of Kraftwerk and Brian Eno.