Zola Jesus' Winter Solstice

Exclusive: An elemental industrial / orchestral mix, inspired by tundra, for the longest night

Amidst the tinsel of midwinter, the ancient celebration of the winter solstice is sometimes overlooked. This year, midwinter falls on December 21, marking the shortest day and the longest night. Visitors from all over the world gather at Stonehenge, or hold more private ceremonies to mark the sunrise, which this year will be at 8:04 GMT. To mark the occasion, elemental pop artist Zola Jesus (aka Nika Roza Danilova, who released the orchestral album Versions in collaboration with JG Thirlwell this year) creates this cascading Tundra mix for Dazed, flush with low-register warmth and crunchy percussion. It was created following a recent trip to Iceland, and was inspired by "the arctic tundra, glacier fields, and the feral isolation of dead winter" We can't think of a better soundtrack to solitary Yuletide walks. In Nika's words: "It's best to listen on good headphones or speakers while in a dark room, or while walking through snow."

Zola Jesus – T U N D R A

Tracklist:

Giacinto Scelsi — "Konx Om Pax II"

Seefeel — "Life"

Runhild Gammelsæter — "Expanding The Universe"

Hildur Guðnadóttir — "Overcast"

Peenemünde — "Pressure Chamber"

Tanya Tagaq — "Growl"

Bjørn Fongaard — "Legende, For Orchestra Microtonalis, Opus 145"

The Residents — "The Walrus Hunt"

Awi Palaoa — "Antarctic Ocean Hydrophone Broadcast"

Triple 6 Mafia — "Walk Up to your House"

Organum — "Wolf / Hibakusha"

Igor Wakhévitch — "Hunahpuguch"

Joe Colley — "Icewater.05.02"

Vladislav Delay — "Kaivue"

Zero Kama — "Town of Pyramids (Night of Pan)"

Metgumbnerbone — "Untitled"

Kevin Drumm — "Spraying of the Weeds"

Maja Ratkje — "Vacuum"

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