The zzips - 20 Years Late (Self-Released)

The zzips are a duo from the U.K., and they are set to release their new album 20 Years Late later next month. With a sound influenced by hip hop but stylistically closer to folk, the band isn’t entirely dissimilar to early-era Beck. The guitars may be country, but the grooves and beats behind it are all based in rap. This clever melding is most evident and most effective on songs like “Therapy” (which even features scratching) and “Weight in Gold.”

The combination of lo-fi microphones and an affected American accent makes them sound like a tamer, more poppy version of another UK group obsessed with country music and hip hop, The Country Teasers. The key difference is that the zzips are capable of true beauty when they feel like it. Songs such as “All of My Everything” and “Murder by Mistake” might be injected with a sense of humor, but the melodies themselves are wistful pop gold.

As alluded to in the album’s title, 20 Years Late is a work long in the making from a band set back by delays and hard times. Yet, it’s a wait that pays off. The large size of the album occasionally makes it feel directionless, but to their credit the band is able to straddle every genre or style they take on with ease and deftness, from the skiffle of the opening “Come On In” to the bluesy guts of “Venus.” The album ends with the poignant “20 Years Late Again,” posing the question of where the group will be in another two decades. Hopefully, they’ll be making more music for years to come. 20 Years Late is out July 21st.