Zoee‘s new track, “Rio’s,” is shared via London label CC Recordings as part of a Bandcamp pre-order for a new compilation called Adult Contemporary Music.

Zoee, a London-based musician who has worked with producers including Joe Goddard and SOPHIE, has been putting out bittersweet left-field pop singles since 2016. Songs like 2018’s fantastic “Used,” which was released on Plz Make It Ruins, the label of Frank Ocean collaborator Vegyn, showcase her penchant for bubblebum-inspired, swinging beats and vocal theatricals. It had been a couple of years since she graced us with new material, but that’s about to change. Zoee is now set to release her debut album, out early next year on the Bristol-based label Illegal Data.

To build up excitement, Zoee is now releasing another single, “Rio’s,” which is an absolutely gorgeous song built on top of a swaying 6/8 time signature. The pop alchemist is not holding anything back here: from the very beginning we are hit right in the face with a gust of synths and an intense electric guitar lick, the latter effectively working as the song’s emotional peak. For what might be considered a bedroom-pop track, this is as expansive as it gets – think Depression Cherry-era Beach House but made after having spent too much time online. It’s a different direction for Zoee: less aseptic, more visceral. It’s also an absolute gem. “Rio’s” is accompanied by an equally great video – half Baywatch tribute, half Gothic fantasy, it shows Zoee ruminating near a body of water, the song’s lyrics fittingly displayed on a Very Vintage Font. Watch the video premiere below.