Maria Taylor, Zykos

At 29, Maria Taylor has experienced a musical passage equivalent to folks twice her age. While barely in her teens, Taylor was part of Little Red Rocket, a Birmingham duo who released two efforts on Geffen and garnered positive comparisons to Belly. Taylor and her partner, Orenda Fink, then formed Azure Ray and came to the attention of Conor Oberst, who encouraged the duo to join Saddle Creek band Now It's Overhead. Taylor's ethereal voice and soulful phrasing have graced releases by Bright Eyes, Crooked Fingers and Moby, and her debut solo release 11:11 is the kind of melodic melancholy that gives pop a good name. It's obvious she has learned well from her previous associations, as songs such as "One for the Shareholder" and "Two of Those Too" are insightful narratives perfectly suited for late-night after-parties. Lurking in the shadows of emotion like a post-modern Carole King, Taylor possesses a sultry intellect reflective of her varied experiences.