Singer
Zella Day transforms into a glitter-laden, '70s-inspired pop diva on 2022's Sunday in Heaven. Blessed with a velvety, cherubic voice as well as a knack for memorable hooks,
Day is a distinctive presence on the modern pop landscape — spiritually connected to artists like
Lorde and
Lana Del Rey (the latter of whom she toured with in 2018), but with a sound all her own. It's a style that made her 2015 major-label debut
Kicker a refreshing surprise, and she brought into even sharper focus on her 2020 EP with
the Black Keys'
Dan Auerbach,
Where Does the Devil Hide. Sunday in Heaven was produced by
Jay Joyce, who is known for his wide-ranging work with artists like
Emmylou Harris,
Cage the Elephant, and
Little Big Town. Also producing are longtime
Day associate John Velasquez, and Alex Casnoff, who has worked with
Dawes and
Sparks, among others. Together,
Day and her collaborators embrace a vibrantly analog aesthetic that brings to mind the post-glam rock, pre-new wave sound of artists like
Electric Light Orchestra,
Kate Bush, and the aforementioned
Sparks.
An Arizona native,
Day even leans into some of her country roots, punctuating her vocals with just a smidge of throaty,
Dolly Parton-esque twang. It's an enticing swirl of influences, magically straddling several genres the way
Olivia Newton-John did with country, disco, and adult-contemporary in the late '70s. Infectious cuts like "Mushroom Punch," "Am I Still Your Baby," and the clubby "Golden" recall the sonically adventurous productions of the
Bee Gees, but still feel utterly contemporary. Similarly, the mid-album "Radio Silence" is a dynamic, psych-goth anthem that conjures the raging alt-rock spirit of The Lion and the Cobra-era
Sinead O'Connor. ~ Matt Collar