British multi-genre artist Zachary Mason rockets back onto the scene with his latest EP, 5…4…3…2…1…, released on October 3, 2025. Following his 2023 debut album Songs, this three-track collection marks a bold and imaginative leap in his career, merging space rock, psychedelic, and experimental elements into one quirky, cohesive odyssey. With drumming by Nate Barnes (of Rose Hill Drive) and bass work from John Thomasson (Little Big Town) and Mason himself, the record proves that collaboration and curiosity remain at the heart of his music. Mixed and mastered by Derrick Lin of Hong Kong’s Voyage In Solitude, the project comes to sound grounded and galactic paradoxically. Because it’s intimate yet infinite.
Opening track “5…4…3…2…1…” establishes itself with fuzzy guitar riffs and sharp smacking that pull you right into liftoff mode. Mason’s light, detached vocals glide effortlessly over the groove, narrating humanity’s desperate escape from a self-destructing Earth. He sings satirically, “We really blew it with the system/And now the system’s blown our health!… We’re on our way, we won’t be back/Fuels are just so tempting- We might just bring some when we pack,” with the perfect bittersweet, sardonic humor that perfectly complements the song’s hazy, head-nodding rhythm. We all get the message, don’t we?
Next comes “The Funky Martians,” a cheeky and infectious tune where Mason’s storytelling flair truly shines. Over sparkly cymbals and woozy, playful guitar fuzz, he spins a witty tale of humans landing on Mars and accidentally averting war through music. It’s absurd and oddly heartwarming as a jam that comes with another message. With all the wars we have going on, maybe a bit of melody and joy in our hearts could help heal the hate, after all?
Finally, “Earthsick” brings the EP full circle with a wistful tone. The churning guitars and airy vocals capture a longing for the lost blue planet, as humanity comes to regret its cosmic exile. Dreamy and melancholic, it’s a perfect closer, reminding us that even among the stars, nostalgia for home never fades.
With 5…4…3…2…1…, Zachary Mason does a lot of worldbuilding literally for us to orbit in it awhile. So check it out on Spotify.
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Review by: Naomi Joan