Ears Wide Open: Jez Dior

Andrew Veeder on November 18th, 2014

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As the son of guitarist and former Syd Vicious collaborator Steve Dior, Los Angeles artist Jez Dior played in bands in his youth, but it wasn’t until a cousin introduced him to Eminem’s “The Eminem Show” that his attention turned to hip-hop. His first mixtape was 2013’s “Scarlett Sage,” released on his 21st birthday and named after his sister, on which Dior tackled his family’s history of addiction and death. He is now back with a new EP called “The Funeral,” which again addresses such serious themes as “death, resurrection and transition,” and was produced entirely by frequent collaborator Danny Shore. The lead single “Clean Me Up” is about coping with both addiction and love, as Dior sings the lyrics, “Pieces undone, you put me together / If I don’t die tonight, let’s live forever / I’m burning the sage, gone five days sober / The pain is deep, but it’s almost over,” over a synth-heavy beat. Its second single, “Old No. 7,” is built around an acoustic guitar riff, features a guest verse from G-Eazy, and finds the two talking about drinking whiskey and making bad decisions. The seven-song EP also features contributions from Olivver the Kid and Jon Waltz, and is out today via Steel Wool Records.

||| Stream: “Clean Me Up,” and “Old No. 7” feat. G-Eazy