zayok - In elsewhere (Grey Marbled Vinyl)

zayok's sophomore album In elsewhere is an amalgamation of restless pseudo-jerk percussion, confessional mid-song interludes, sporadic sampling–including bits from Travis Scott’s “Sweet Sweet” and The Microphones’ “IV Mount Eerie”–modulated vocals, distorted synths and even an interpolation of “Khalil (Interlude)” by Boyz II Men, alongside fragments from films including Frances Ha and This Is England, landing at the center of a Venn diagram between PC Music, hyperpop, and something else entirely. Structured around alternate timelines and an imagined older version of zay looking back on his formative years from a future where he has left home and built the life he wanted, the album’s chronological movement from uncertainty toward self-sufficiency makes it a coming-of-age project rooted in the experience of growing up online.