Spiral Your Way Out

Alright, so zzzahara’s Spiral Your Way Out is one of those albums that sneaks up on you. It’s got a super specific vibe—like driving down a lonely desert highway at midnight, spotting the faint glow of a random small town off in the distance, and somehow feeling like you belong there. That’s the vibe. And for that alone, it’s worth giving a spin.

The atmosphere is the standout here. It’s mellow and dreamy, making it a great soundtrack for late-night drives, study sessions, or just vibing in your room. The vocals are soft but confident—zzzahara’s voice feels like it’s floating right over the instrumentation. Plus, the song ideas? Really solid. You can tell there’s potential for something bigger brewing here.

But here’s the thing: while the album nails its chill aesthetic, it doesn’t quite stick the landing in a few key areas. Let’s start with the choruses. They’re... fine, but most of them feel half-baked. Like, repeating the song title a couple of times doesn’t always cut it. You almost want the choruses to pull you in, but they just kind of hover there, doing their thing without leaving much impact.

And because the choruses are so understated, the songs start blending together. By the time you’re halfway through, it can feel like one long track with slightly different flavors. The production plays into that too—it’s clean and polished, but maybe a little too safe. It doesn’t push any boundaries, which is fine for a chill listen but makes you wonder how much it’ll stand out in the indie scene long-term.

Now, let’s talk lyrics. They’re serviceable—nothing super cringy—but they don’t hit that wow factor. For an indie rock/pop rock album, where lyrics often carry a lot of the emotional weight, this can be a weak spot. That said, it’s not a dealbreaker; the vibe still carries the project pretty far.

So, overall it’s a solid effort. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s consistent, easy to listen to, and shows flashes of potential that could really shine on future projects. If you’re into low-stakes, vibe-heavy indie rock, I’d definitely recommend it. Just don’t expect it to reinvent the wheel.

ZZZAHARA - SPIRAL YOUR WAY OUT

RATING - 6.4/10

FAVORITE TRACK - N/A

GENRE - Alt/Indie