Katzin blends folk and synth textures on new single ‘Anna’
Katzin, the project of New York-based artist Zion Battle, has released his new single ‘Anna,’ the first taste of his forthcoming debut album on Mexican Summer.
Born in Alexandria, Virginia, raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, and later coming of age in New York City, Battle has been drawn to music since childhood, inspired by the sounds he first heard in church, where his father was a theologian and priest. By 13, he was writing and recording his own music, and by 15, he had joined the teenage DIY scene in New York, playing basements, rooftops, and wherever sound systems could thrive. After studying at both CalArts and the New School, he signed with Brooklyn independent label Mexican Summer earlier this year, home to artists like Jessica Pratt, Cate LeBon, and Hayden Pedigo.
Written during his freshman year at CalArts, ‘Anna’ reflects on the struggles of adjusting to new life experiences while mourning adolescence. The track blends guitar, banjo, and synths under Battle’s searching vocals, painting a sensitive portrait of young people letting go of the past to embrace the future.
Battle says of the single:
“‘Anna’ is a song about distant lovers — growth in distance. To be ‘off and on’ can feel like endless torture. But there’s nothing more euphoric than to run back into the arms of something so familiar.”
With ‘Anna,’ Katzin offers a vulnerable and resonant introduction to his forthcoming debut album, setting the stage for what promises to be a striking first full-length release on Mexican Summer.
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