Zach Fogarty will forever be one of my favorite producers for his work on Jean Dawson’s Pixel Bath. He masterfully produced 11 of the 13 tracks, displaying the duo’s unparalleled synergy. Together, they are not only driving their own lane but inspiring a whole new generation of musicians. However, Zach’s production isn’t limited to Jean – he has a large discography of music, including the likes of THE BLSSM, King Princess and Fousheé, and of course, Jean.

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“SHAPESHIFTER” by THE BLSSM

One of two collaborations between Zach and THE BLSSM, “SHAPESHIFTER” epitomizes THE BLSSM’s music, from their DIY sound to the messages in their music. The track is an emphatic declaration of being comfortable with who they are – a theme throughout their music, as they often sing about exploring their gender indentity as they are non-binary. Zach delivers on his signature production style, creating a rock influenced soundscape that is just perfect. The instrumental consists of varying incredible guitar riffs and drums, while synths sneak in there every now and then to add a slight electronic feel. The track just explodes on the hook, becoming a beautiful burst of sound that will have you jamming your head. Definitely need to hear more from this combination – you can check out their other track together in the meantime, “Sports Car.”

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“Clear Bones” by Jean Dawson

Zach Fogarty and a guitar are like peanut butter and jelly – you can never get enough of it. He put not just his guitar talent, but his full arsenal on display for one of my favorite songs ever, “Clear Bones” by Jean Dawson. I love it so much I once tried recreating it on GarageBand for fun – suffice to say it was a dumpster fire, especially considering I don’t know how to use GarageBand. The track is toned by a bassline so perfect that I would learn the bass just so I could play it. An alluring electric guitar pairs it perfectly, and if that wasn’t enough, a guitar solo that would make Steve Lacy gasp rounds out an all around electrifying song. Jean explores how the only guarantee in life is death, singing, “Mr. Reaper, will you wait on me? / Mr. Reaper, let's play hide and seek / Mr. Reaper, I see you watching me / Mr. Reaper, you're a guarantee."

It also has insane visuals by Neema Sadeghi and Zachary Bailey, who alongside Louis Celano and Jean have created one part of the saga that are Jean’s videos.

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“Little Bother” by King Princess featuring Fousheé

An incredible blend of indie pop and rock, “Little Bother” by King Princess featuring Fousheé has been a favorite song of mine this year. It was part of a larger group of singles for King Princess, leading up to their sophomore album Hold On Baby releasing later this year. While it may have been the first song I heard from them, it most certainly was not the last. However, it remains to be my favorite song from them.

King Princess and Fousheé’s voices pair so well together – they are both such amazing vocalists and truly put it on show here. Combined, they explore the feeling of negligence and struggle to be accepted by someone they admire. Zach puts on a show for us on the guitar, laying the groundwork of an instrumental that just increases in complexity as the track goes on – one of my favorite production concepts. Here’s to hoping for more Zach production on the upcoming album.

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