By Keith Walsh
The music by Slovenia’s electro punk outfit Karmakoma has never been so intense. Their debut album from 2014, Imagination And Mechanical Metamorphoses, is that rare electronic pop album that combines visceral performances with slick techno beats and literary lyrics. Their new single “Mother Lode” goes further into rock territory with powerful and exciting vocals by frontman Enej Mavsar and the band.
It’s good to hear that the song, released in late January, is well received. As Mavsar reveals: “I must say it got quite a big airplay on Slovenia’s national radio which is a surprise. I will try to make more of it in the next few weeks, I also plan to do a music video for this song but who knows what will happen? But I’m focused now much more on the other songs and really want to make this second album come to life.”
“Mother Lode” features Mavsar’s familiar workmates and some new faces as well. “The song was recorded at my rehearsal space by Matej Humar who is a very young engineer from Krško,” Mavsar told me in an email exchange.
“I wrote the song with Benjamin Kovač who wrote most of the drum parts and recorded them. I added guitar, synth bass and main synth chords and vocals. While mixing with Janžej Marinč we added some more synth sounds to fill the arrangement.”
The tune is straightforward and commercial, especially the synth riffs. As Mavsar proclaims “this world we live in, the bubble’s about to burst,” the tune’s infectious beats echo classic synthpop (and its precedent, disco) and classic rock. The inference is not just about economic bubbles. Having grown up in a tumultuous age in Slovenia, Mavsar is accustomed to change. Fortunately, he’s found solace in creating music.
I asked Mavsar if this aggressively commercial sound is the new direction the band will be following. “I can’t say Mother Lode is the kind of music I want to make in the future,” Mavsar told me, “and I think this was really a step back to previous Karmakoma songs. But it’s the result of our work with Ben I think. I would really like to get more abstract, more diverse in my next songs but I should not make many promises for the future. I won’t reveal much more of my plans because it’s really not certain. Plans I had really collapsed but I think this is a good thing for Karmakoma music which is the only thing that matters to me.”
This world is delicious as hell
Let’s face it now later it will be too soon
the moon is full and the raven said nevermore
on and on and on and on and nothing for
This mess I am in is nice to share with you
love unbound by time sounds poignant now
(From “Mother Lode,” by Karmakoma)
Looking for love on the edge of chaos is an admirable goal. This approach is at the heart of Karmakoma’s sound, and their second album can’t come soon enough.
(Mavsar has also led rock acts Suzi soprano, Body Says No, and Yamamai.)
(Album artwork by Martin Fir).
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