If you paid attention to what’s happening on a contemporary post-punk scene in recent years, you’ve probably noticed that a lot of artists and bands are following the same, well-paved route by mimicking renowned acts like Viagra Boys and Idles. It becomes so annoying when you open any streaming platform and notice how many bands copy-paste that same-old dissonant riffs, abrasive basslines, steady beats, and vocals that sometimes go nowhere but serve the purpose of filling the gap between the listener and the remainder of the band. Thankfully, every once in a while, we are treated to works by the bands who think outside the box and deliver more than another repetitive post-punk product. Today, we have a debut full-length album by Lovaz, a band operating out of Den Helder, Netherlands, but with close ties to the Balkans. With nine exceptional compositions, Lovaz escapes all the cliches and delivers sound that’s everything but repetitive, bland, and boring. Each composition carries so many fresh, unique, innovative ideas and sonic maneuvers, backed by wisely crafted abstract, poetic lyricism. Songs that not only explore the hardships of life but also existential crisis, human nature, socio-political themes, various sentiments, moods, situations, and circumstances, wrapped into a clever lyricism that often calls for contemplation are only one of many qualities of this incredible band. Penned and sung in the Bosnian language, the lyrics will especially resonate with the crowd emanating from the Balkan region. Sonically, Lovaz are all about post-punk sound, no more and no less. You’ll hear how they expertly merge all the traditional moves that made late seventies and eighties post-punk sound so iconic, but do not be surprised if you stumble upon many sonic maneuvers that scream much more contemporary trends in this genre. Those modern moments have a lot to do with qualities that meet all the trends in modern music production, which definitely elevate vocal, sonic, and rhythmic maneuvers to new heights.
Lovaz are masters in creating dark, ethereal, otherworldly cinematic soundscapes that immediately wrap around the listening apparatus and refuse to let go. It has a lot to do with how the guitars articulate throughout the entire material. With an angular, jangly, tastefully distorted yet somehow crystal clean tone, both guitars articulate in a way that appeals to the ears but also sometimes create some sort of intentional unease. The interplay between guitars is also worth the praise. The way both guitar channels deliver all those sharp chord progressions, riffs, harmonies, melodies, themes, and other sonic maneuvers goes beyond comprehension so many times throughout the entire material. Unlike many bands, who deliver the same orchestrations in both channels all the time, Lovaz tend to expand their sound by slightly or totally changing guitar work during particular moments. These changes are especially hearable when both guitars articulate with chord progressions. You can sense that performance differs in both channels, yet they sucessfully return back to complete harmony when necessary. Also, the pairings between themes and chord progressions expand their sound even more. In the meantime, the profoundly detailed bass performance adds the warmth, groove, detail, melody, and complexity this material certainly needs. Instead of delivering only root notes and simply supporting guitars, the bass guitar articulates with all those lush scales that perfectly pair with the themes delivered by guitars. Besides all of that, you’ll notice how this significant instrument acts as a binding element that blends the mentioned instruments and rhythmic patterns. Speaking of rhythmic patterns, the drummer dictates groove and pace with such precision and finesse while keeping the remainder of the band in line. The comprehensive collection based upon thoughtfully arranged, flawlessly performed, well-accentuated beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics makes this material even more complex, groovy, dynamic, and fun. Each hit of the snare, kick of the bass drum, accentuation over hi-hats, and splashes over cymbals play a major role here, uplifting, accentuating, and decorating everything the remainder of Lovaz intended to achieve. Last but not least comes the outstanding vocal performance. There’s a certain emotion involved in the way all those vocal maneuvers resonate in each composition. There’s conviction, self-assurance, bitterness, and rage, but it’s so wisely involved, to the point that shouts and melodic chants prevail. But do not be surprised when these vocal lines burst into more aggressive chants during the full-blown moments. The vocalist understands that for a good song you need to articulate carefully and thoughtfully, and that’s exactly what he does here. He sacrifices pointless, distorted, unarticulated aggressive shouts over perfectly channeled melodies. A wise move that certainly works like a charm for this self-titled debut.
When an album this good lands in your ears, it’s usually difficult to pick standout songs, so it’s always better to admit to yourself that you need to listen to it in its entirety. It’s unquestionably an album that does not only sound pleasant to the ears but also tackles all the right senses in the best possible way. Lovaz have created an album with no skips, a monumental post-punk piece that forces you to focus and contemplate everything. Head to Geenger Records for more information about ordering this gem on orange vinyl.
Discover more from Thoughts Words Action
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
