Some people need a week, others an eternity. Matic Nareks needed exactly 20 years to work up the nerve for his “bungee jump” – that fateful moment when you ditch the safety net of a band and leap into the unknown as a solo artist. The result of that leap is “Slaba Navada”, the first of four singles from an upcoming EP that will shake up the Slovenian rock scene before the year is out.
When a “pleasure” turns into a “vice”
Even though “Slaba Navada” might sound like a classic love ballad on first listen, there’s a much darker, more toxic story simmering under the surface.
»The song started out as my personal reckoning with cigarettes. We all know they’re destroying us, but that cigarette at three in the morning in the studio is sometimes the only thing keeping you on your feet,« Matic admits frankly.
The song becomes a universal metaphor for all our small and big addictions – from toxic relationships to digital drugs – that rob us of our freedom under the guise of euphoria.
Heavyweights behind the scenes
Matic clearly isn’t just “giving it a try,” and the crew he’s gathered around him proves it. Simon Jovanovič held the production baton at studio Evolucija, while the rhythm section is made up of legendary names who helped write the history of Slovenian rock:
- Klemen Čampa on guitar.
- Jani Lah (Pomaranča, Requiem) on bass,
- Peter Smrdel (Pomaranča) on keyboards,
A visual spectacle through Perica Rai’s lens
The single’s visuals were captured by one of Slovenia’s best directors, Perica Rai. In the music video, which stars Sandra Zulić and Gaia Pangerc in standout roles, an individual’s fight with their own demons is masterfully staged – demons that keep calling us back into their embrace, again and again.
Rock with no compromises
At a time when Slovenian rock is getting more and more polished and “safe,” Matic Nareks goes back to the roots: passion, edge, and rebellion. »I was done waiting for the perfect moment. The head will always find a thousand reasons against, but the heart only needs one for. I picked the ‘for,’« Matic concludes.
More info:
https://maticnareks.com/
