New York psych-pop explorers Zula aren’t easy to pin down, but while their sound shifts track to track, there is a beautiful coherence to an album like This Hopeful. Chalk that up to the fact that the band’s core comprises cousins Henry and Nate Terepka, who each sing, strum, and synth assisted by bassist Mike Lawless and drummer Pablo Eluchans. With their electronics-addled and fuzz-infused compositions — plus those wry and mournful vocals — Zula at times recall left-fielders Fog or even the slowcore of Idaho. But then a track like the titular one will burst through like a beam of sunlight through a hazy sky. Or “And More Business” comes along and delivers a jolt of jaunt to the affair, though without outshining its moodier neighbor “Poison.” Take it all in below via the full stream of This Hopeful, out October 29 via Inflated Records (Speedy Ortiz, Ava Luna).
