Biography
Fascinated by space exploration alongside advances in music technology, Zia wove both interests into its songwriting and live shows, resulting in a style of electronic pop marked by new wave sensibilities. The group constructed much of its own gear, pressing circuit boards into service as drum pads and shaping a MIDI controller to resemble a guitar.
The project originated in 1992 in Boston as an aggro-synth endeavor that drew personnel from local outfits including Big Catholic Guilt and Concussion Ensemble. Although the lineup shifted continually, vocalist and programmer Elaine Walker remained the sole unchanging member; under this fluid roster the band issued two albums—the self-released ZIAv1.5 in 1994 and SHEM on Fifth Column in 1996—while sharing stages with Emergency Broadcast Network and A Flock of Seagulls.
After Liz Lysinger and Hae Young Kim, both Berklee College of Music graduates, joined the lineup, the three musicians—who each earned a degree in music synthesis—moved the operation to New York in 1999. Lengthy discussions with GIG Records ultimately led the band to retain independence shortly before finishing its next album; Big Bang!, issued independently in June 2000, tilted closer to new wave-inflected pop than the industrial approach heard on prior releases.
The project originated in 1992 in Boston as an aggro-synth endeavor that drew personnel from local outfits including Big Catholic Guilt and Concussion Ensemble. Although the lineup shifted continually, vocalist and programmer Elaine Walker remained the sole unchanging member; under this fluid roster the band issued two albums—the self-released ZIAv1.5 in 1994 and SHEM on Fifth Column in 1996—while sharing stages with Emergency Broadcast Network and A Flock of Seagulls.
After Liz Lysinger and Hae Young Kim, both Berklee College of Music graduates, joined the lineup, the three musicians—who each earned a degree in music synthesis—moved the operation to New York in 1999. Lengthy discussions with GIG Records ultimately led the band to retain independence shortly before finishing its next album; Big Bang!, issued independently in June 2000, tilted closer to new wave-inflected pop than the industrial approach heard on prior releases.