Discovery Zone is the solo project of
JJ Weihl, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and founder of Berlin-based art-rockers
Fenster. When
Fenster went dormant in the late 2010s,
Weihl struck out on her own as a conceptual act that examined notions of technology, transformation, and living in the digital world. What was remarkable about her 2020 debut,
Remote Control, was how catchy and immersive it was. As with the more psychedelic
Fenster,
Weihl has the instincts of a pop musician and filters her heady observations through retro-futuristic synth pop and surprisingly sweet melodic hooks.
Discovery Zone is also visually playful with performances supported by custom digital art, video collage, and even PowerPoint presentations. Released in 2024, her follow-up album,
Quantum Web, expands on her debut's core sound, blending tech-nostalgia and dreamy ambience with some '80s zing and a quirky wistfulness. Her crystalline, vocodered voice is soothing as she coos "are you gonna change me, can you set me free?" on the gossamer highlight "Ur Eyes." She sounds more human on the infectious, "Pair a Dice," another pop highlight.
Quantum Web's crowning moment, however, is "Mall of Luv," an electro-soft pop masterpiece whose pastiche of Linn drums, vocal samples, and silky saxophone supports the album's most undeniable chorus.
Weihl is a craftswoman with a knack for building intricate worlds that are unexpectedly fun to visit. ~ Timothy Monger
