Hear Nebraska

story and multimedia by Chance Solem-Pfeifer From up on high to the streets of their hometown, the lyrics and music video of AZP’s newest single, “Charge,” bite off a lot. But it’s nothing Ishma Valenti and Zachary Watkins — the creative duo behind the Lincoln band — haven’t set out to chew. The video plays host to themes of suffering and redemption on a divine scale, an anti-bullying message and a portrait of violence in Lincoln neighborhoods. It’s a fusion of open eyes to social strife with melodic and danceable music that’s shaped AZP’s developing vision for itself since Valenti and Watkins first crossed paths more than 10 years ago. The duo maintains they’ve clawed and maneuvered to avoid any kind of “box” for their artwork, going so far as to have once had “Productions” attached to their name, symbolizing an ongoing interest in film media and collaborating with visual artists. At times, AZP has even eschewed the word “band” altogether, in favor of “songwriting team” or “music production collective.”