Mimika Orchestra – Medzotermina DLP (Menart)

The Balkan region has always possessed a deeply rich, historically complex musical heritage, but it takes a very specific type of visionary to mold those ancient traditions into a contemporary, avant-garde format. Since forming in London back in 2010 before eventually relocating their base of operations to Zagreb, Mimika Orchestra has operated as exactly that kind of visionary force. Founded by composer and multi-instrumentalist Mak Murtić alongside vocalist Maja Rivić, this progressive, concept-driven jazz-world ensemble has consistently pushed the boundaries of what large-scale band music can achieve. Now, with their latest opus, Medzotermina, they have delivered an absolute masterpiece, not just within the Croatian jazz scene but on a truly global scale. Mimika Orchestra has never been a standard, play-by-the-numbers jazz ensemble. They operate more like a highly conceptual cinematic collective, taking a strong stance on issues such as social justice, human collaboration, and unity. Every project they undertake explores a different, deeply researched theme. In the past, Murtić has introduced audiences to narratives ranging from a utopian society on Mars to prehistoric migrations from Africa, and even pagan Slavic funeral ceremonies. Medzotermina continues this brilliant, intellectually stimulating path. The music draws heavily from archaic South Slavic languages and regional folk modalities, filtering them through a highly contemporary jazz expression. Murtić constructs vast, ambitious song structures that span various instrumental progressions. The compositions frequently employ odd time signatures and complex jazz sonic maneuvers, yet they never lose their core accessibility. The main themes remain completely intact throughout the record, resulting in a deeply hypnotic, addictive, and engaging atmosphere. It successfully creates the observable atmosphere of an ancient tribal gathering, drawing rightful comparisons to the forward-thinking greats of the genre and beyond.

Maja Rivić’s vocal performance is breathtaking and serves as the emotional anchor for the entire orchestra. Her incredible vocal range shines brightly from the opening notes to the final fade-out. She demonstrates a seemingly effortless balance between resonant, earthy low notes, commanding mids, and gliding, ethereal highs. Rivić delivers pure soul, raw emotion, sincerity, and immense power to this material. Furthermore, the inclusion of an additional choir elevates the vocal arrangements to a completely different, monumental level. The choir brilliantly complements Rivić’s beautiful lead performance, adding a haunting, communal quality that raises the hairs on the back of your neck and backs the album’s themes of human connection and unity. When dealing with a massive ensemble, the greatest danger is a muddy, cluttered mix where instruments constantly fight for frequency space. However, the orchestration and production of Medzotermina are carefully planned to perfection. The ever-evolving brass section delivers layer upon layer of lush, intoxicating instrumentation. You will immediately notice how the soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones articulate in perfect harmony with the trumpets, trombone, and tuba. They deliver massive sonic layers that thread in and out of each other gracefully, operating as a unified front without ever overwhelming the core melody or each other. The wind instruments also contribute to this lush, dense ambiance. The flute and oboe provide essential, piercing high notes that slice cleanly through the heavier brass sections. Their inclusion adds a delicate, almost mystical quality, making the material feel even more luxuriant, complex, and vibrant. While the foundation of Medzotermina is rooted in contemporary jazz and Balkan ethno-music, Mimika Orchestra is absolutely not afraid to bare its teeth. At times, the ensemble levitates effortlessly between jazz and world music, but they also bring unexpected, heavier elements to the table. The guitars on this record offer more than a necessary dose of rawness, abrasiveness, and aggression. When the dynamic of a song demands it, the guitar work introduces brilliant flashes of post-rock, progressive rock, and even aggressive moments similar to post-punk into the mix. This proves that the orchestra can be as intensely heavy as they are beautiful. Accompanying this, the occasional keys contribute essential ambiance, depth, and spatial complexity to the background. And the rhythm section anchors this beauty so perfectly. The foundation consists of highly intricate, warm basslines paired with an exceptional drumming performance. The beats, breaks, fills, and percussive acrobatics executed here are mind-bending. The rhythm section carefully navigates those complex odd time signatures while consistently delivering immense groove, depth, detail, and heaviness. They make sure that the music constantly propels forward, keeping the energy locked in, even during the most atmospheric passages.

It is genuinely difficult to single out specific tracks on a record that functions so perfectly as a cohesive, narrative journey. The entire album carries so many brilliant, jaw-dropping moments. However, if you are looking for the definitive peaks of this sonic exploration, the songs that deserve your utmost attention are “Empty Plate,” “Night Dance,” “Omen,” “Dišpet,” “Paliska,” “Zrcalo,” and “Wasteland.” Each of these tracks perfectly encapsulates the delicate balance of melody, harmony, passion, aggression, and power that defines the entire record. Mimika Orchestra has always been a high-quality force in the jazz and avant-garde music scenes. If you are familiar with their opus, you already know they have never delivered a weak recording. But with Medzotermina, they have truly surpassed themselves, delivering what is arguably the best album of their entire career. Mak Murtić, Maja Rivić, and the remainder of the orchestra should be incredibly proud of the brilliant, uncompromising work they have forged here. This is a definitive, mandatory listen for any true jazz music enthusiast, world music fan, or anyone who appreciates art composed with genuine intelligence and profound passion.