- More than eight million people live in New York, and most of them spend some part of their day going somewhere. Kaazi is one of them. In densely populated places, transportation is sometimes taken for granted, but Kaazi drafts a love letter to it on Zen Travel. He reimagines New York's crisscrossing map as a series of smooth, flowing lines, moving unhurried and hassle-free through them. "Air"'s giddy, percussive melody is tempered by a sophisticated sway, while "Subway" sinks commuter chatter beneath vocal FX and sunny pads. With the staccato bounce of "Street" in their headphones, pedestrians might clop down the sidewalk even faster.
On tracks like "Tropics" and "Balloon," the music is a shade brighter. The tape-worn music on Zen Travel absorbs some modish sounds, including Vancouver house and vaporwave, but Kaazi's loosely sketched themes are enough to keep your gaze on the scenery. Most of the tracks move at a leisurely pace, including "Mountain," a windswept closing track with chest-swelling strings and a soft, doleful synth melody. As the air whips and the music soars, "Mountain" invites you to perch on its summit. This trip is fun, but the last stop is Zen Travel's highlight.
Tracklist01. Air
02. Tropics
03. Balloon
04. Cycle
05. Skate
06. Street
07. Subway
08. Cruise
09. Mountain