AUNCE Ascends With Emotional Mastery On "Zoo Friend," A Breathtaking, Omnipresent Sonic Achievement
- STAFF
- Jun 4
- 4 min read
By: Staff
“Zoo Friend” is a fragile yet fierce triumph—stunningly crafted and emotionally overwhelming.
We had the chance to experience another transcendent release from the formidable AUNCE. Every track from her catalog has been marked by remarkable production and vocal brilliance, but “Zoo Friend” signals a distinct artistic evolution. This isn’t just a song; it’s a moment of clarity, a weightless, emotional outcry rendered in sound.
From the very first tones, “Zoo Friend” feels like a ghost transmission, muted and deliberate, reaching out from somewhere alien and sacred. The sound flickers with intention, tapping and pulsing like it’s trying to say something. When the fuller elements wash in, everything feels airy, like floating through signal dust in open space. It’s minimal in structure but maximal in emotional impact, an aural reset that opens the listener to fully absorb the message to come.
AUNCE’s vocal performance begins as a hushed, almost trembling whisper, imbued with tension and ache, and it works immediately on the body. That whisper draws the stress out of you. It’s cathartic. Her delivery is precise yet fragile, demonstrating technical mastery without feeling polished to sterility. There’s a soft, trembling falsetto hovering within a subtly theatrical staccato, like someone caught between breaking down and breaking free.
As the synth textures ripple outward, the vocal mix seems to come from everywhere at once. It’s disorienting in the best way. AUNCE sounds omnipresent, as if channeling something beyond herself. There’s a pervasive urgency in her delivery, as though she’s been trying to say something important for a long time but still hasn’t truly been heard. This isn’t about closure in love. It’s the aching weight of a mission unfinished, of clarity unmet.
When the synth tones take on a piano-like clarity, there’s a transformation. Each note lands with careful pressure, and her voice begins to stretch, rise, and expand, carrying you with it.
“All it took was one stare / to break me in two.”
It’s devastating in its simplicity, and that's the point. AUNCE uses a restrained sonic palette to deliver something emotionally overwhelming. Her minimalist framework is a deliberate choice. She’s asking you to listen and to feel, not to be impressed by excess. The complexity of the message, the request for empathy toward those who cannot express their suffering, does not require fanfare. The strength of the message is in its clarity. AUNCE resists indulgence and allows the truth to stand on its own, and for the listener to grow and rise to the message.
Midway through the track, there's a visceral shift. It feels like she’s crying out, as if sound is the only remaining tool to transmit grief. It doesn’t feel performative; it feels necessary. That moment leaves a mark. You don’t just understand the message, you physically feel it. It asks you to pause, reflect, and recalibrate. The track functions as a kind of quiet revolution. It heals but also stirs something active in you. When it ends, there’s a sense of being restored and gently recharged. But it doesn’t just soothe. It empowers. It gives you the clarity and grounding to consider how your actions impact the world. It does so through care, not force.
Once again, AUNCE proves that great music does not demand compliance. It invites thought. Like an exceptional book or a wise teacher, she guides you toward your own revelation. She doesn’t shout. She trusts you to listen. That is power. That is artistry. And that is what AUNCE offers in every carefully constructed track. Her work extends beyond the body and past the physical, moving into something more expansive. Call it consciousness. Call it spirit. If you’re looking for music with soul, mind, and purpose, this is where your search ends.
We’re beyond impressed. We’re changed. We absolutely love AUNCE and strongly recommend you experience what she has to offer.
“Zoo Friend” by AUNCE is an immersive revelation, a genre-defying masterpiece of message and mood.
AUNCE is a singular force rising from the edges of genre and tradition. She crafts sound with a visceral sense of meaning.
Born in Birmingham and raised outside Stoke-on-Trent, she brings both rural stillness and industrial edge into her work. With a doctorate in music production from Wellington, New Zealand, her artistry blends academic depth with raw emotional intelligence. Now based in London, she is not just a producer or performer. She is a sonic architect, building experiences that are as thoughtful as they are unshakably felt.
Every layer of her work is deeply intentional. AUNCE writes and performs her own material, infusing each word with lived nuance and each note with carefully measured tone.
On “Zoo Friend,” her full creative vision comes to life through her own production. That vision is elevated by the atmospheric touch of Chris Hyson as co-producer. The mix, handled by the ever-impressive TJ Allen, gives the track a spatial dynamism that wraps around the listener. Mastering by Guy Davie ensures a finish that is both pristine and emotionally resonant. These collaborations are not just technical. They are essential to the immersive worlds AUNCE constructs.
Whether composing for installations, dance films, or live performance, she approaches every medium with curiosity and boldness. Her work does not simply reflect sound. It reflects intention, connection, and purpose. She is already drawing critical acclaim for her philosophical themes and genre-defying production. Her presence in the indie and avant-garde electronic space is only growing stronger.
As a champion for women in music production and a leader in reimagining creative collaboration, AUNCE stands as a necessary voice in today’s musical landscape.
We’re so excited to know her and can’t wait to hear more from AUNCE!
Make sure to playlist, stream and share "Zoo Friend" by AUNCE.
