By Keith Walsh
Since the debut of Slovenian electronic rock band Karmakoma in 2014, frontman/singer-songwriter Enej Mavsar has dabbled in various other projects, with live and recorded performances from Body Says No and Suzi soprano (lowercase stylized intentionally).
Karmakoma’s debut, Imagination And Mechanical Metamorphoses featured lyrics in English, and a minimalist sound with rock guitars and a pulsing synth bass that owes much to the 1980s and 90s. Karmakoma’s new album, Salsa sentimentum, with lyrics in Slovenian (save for one tune) steps up to new sonic levels while abandoning cliches, with wildly inventive synth sounds and performances influenced by prog and art rock. Strangely altered vocals, odd meters, and creative patch programming add up to an intoxicatingly catchy and bizarre seven song collection.
The titles tell a lot about Mavsar’s mindset. Translated to English, the titles are “Cellophane,” “Time Engineers,” “Being (or “Creature)”, “Andromeda,” “Loret De Mar,” (from Italian or Spanish),” “Back To Normal,” and “Welding.” The album reflects Mavsar’s ongoing preoccupation with emotions and states of mind against the backdrop of the possibility of totalitarianism challenged by forces of creativity pushing against the status quo.
I haven’t translated the lyrics yet, so this is only assuming the titles aren’t placeholders or misleading in some other way. Previously, Mavsar has expressed his frustration with the limits placed on expression by ossified traditions, and Salsa sentimentum approaches stagnation sincerely, with an instinctive flex of creativity that, until I can read the translated lyrics, seems rooted in playfulness and curiosity rather than anything hateful.
Salsa sentimentum shares stylistic inventiveness achieved with only a few instruments by Suzi soprano, while expanding the legacy of Karmakoma with melodic and rhythmic innovations worthy of prog electronica, regardless of physical location.
From Mavsar:
Personnel: Vocals, guitar, synthesizers, programming, Enej Mavsar
Synthesizers, Janžej Marinč
Bass, synth bass, synthesizers, keyboards, Jošt Drašler
Drums and percussion Marek Fakuč
Keyboards, synthesizers, back vocals, Mojca Zupančič
Snemala / Robi Bulešić, Janžej Marinč / Recorded by Miks /Janžej Marinč in Enej Mavsar / Mixed by Produkcija / Enej Mavsar in Janžej Marinč / Produced by Mastering / Michal Kupicz / Mastering by
Visualiser by Izvanredni Bob, Cinematography by Maja Djordjević
Karmakoma YouTube
Karmakoma Bandcamp
finis
