Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Anavrin
Label: Self-released
Released: 2014
Runtime: 50:06
Rating: 4.5/5
Anavrin are a seasoned Ljubljana alternative rock outfit with a strong art-rock streak, and this year they hit 15 years together. Apparently the celebrations come around every five years for Anavrin, so they clearly work in multiples of five. Their debut studio album »Juice!« came out in 2004, the second, »Atopic«, in 2009, and this year, at long last, the third one, »Domina«.
Given their longevity but modest number of releases, it’s safe to assume Anavrin are perfectionists. Before they put out an album, they make sure everything is truly in its place. And one thing is certain: this is a crew of seasoned, respected musicians who have lent, or still lend, their services to acts such as The Stroj, Zoran Predin, Gušti, Tinkara Kovač and Adam! So their daily schedule is seriously packed.
Anavrin kicked up a lot of dust especially while making their second album »Atopic«, when they even sparked interest in the British Isles, where they recorded part of the material for »Atopic« in London studios. In short: Anavrin are a band that has always cultivated tastefully packaged alternative-flavored rock, appealing musical touches and sturdy rhythmic armor, all while developing their own recognizable musical form.
»Domina« is an absolute leap in maturity over the previous two studio releases and confirms that Anavrin are developing along the lines of healthy musical evolution. The sound has grown juicier. The music has become more dynamic in its ideas, too. The new Anavrin walk a cunning tightrope between an organic sonic tone, into which they deftly work a modern, packaged-up smear of blurred sonic structures, which points to the band’s character trait of always loving to mess around with experimental sound-bending.
Anavrin build on a solid, even rattling-and-rumbling framework of rhythmic structure, where the drums are contrastingly colored by a fat bass kick. The rhythms are usually simple, danceable, but instantly effective. This approach works extremely well in the parts where the guitar phrases slink into the background and we get a stark contrast between Damir’s distinctive vocal approach, which the thick low-end of the bass lines lend a special expressive sheen, giving the songs a particular atmospheric quality. The guys »clip« onto those same low tones a lively sonic tapestry of many guises in their guitar solutions. From a distinctly massive wall of sound to cleverly sophisticated »filling« of the backing background. A case of combining both principles in one story is captured in the song Okno, definitely one of the top contenders for the third single! The contrast between the sophisticated verse and the chorus, armed with an avalanche-like massive riff structure, is especially invasive! Throughout the album Anavrin hold on to an atmospheric, brooding gaze with a dark touch, which is a hallmark of the alternative rock dossier, while their exceptional sense for defining lead melodies brings them closer to the general accessibility of radio rotation.
Woven into all this arranging of dynamic sonic structures is the charismatic vocal of Damir Lisica, who has grown over the years into an excellent interpreter of great emotional depth, delivering the message of the lyrics with heart. Whether he goes for a guttural, dominant vocal (Klofuta), or calms things down with a softer, gazing quality in the beautifully packaged lines of the songs Mir, Hiša iz kart or Soba zrcal. But of course Damir is strongest when he steers between both approaches, as in the title track Domina. Anavrin can also be playfully cheeky, as in the song Klofuta. The songs on »Domina« are extremely strong in substance. They have remarkable definition, melodic grip, just the right punch, that is, rock-and-roll swagger, and it’s clear that many of the album’s tracks will grow into future live favorites with the crowd!
In terms of the musicians’ maturing within Anavrin, a big contribution also came from the creative side trip of Anej Kočevar and Damir Lisica called Adam and the release of the album »Alfa«. Not only did the two carry part of their musical perception, typical of Anavrin, over to Adam, they also poured the experience gained while creating with Adam back into the new Anavrin. And you can feel it all over the new record!
Anavrin also make use of the trendy device of filling the space with »oh-oh« chants, which add an atmospheric feeling of awakening and solemnity to the songs. But they pack it into the arrangements effectively, at precisely measured spots, where it’s clear they’ll effectively stir up the moods while keeping their own characteristic musical identity. That’s the case with Kralj, Habanero, Mir and Drobtine. In the album’s shortest song, the rock-feverish Tok, guitarist Leon Kolenc tries out his vocal talents too, and does it totally credibly.
Opener Mesto idej, which already as a single hinted that the new album would bring an evolutionary step up to a higher level of quality for the new Anavrin, is solemnly adorned with a tasteful integration of strings, accompanying a song built on a dance rhythm and an excellent transition from an awakening verse into a singable chorus. The song Premalo enakih, which follows the awakening march of Mesto idej, is also something of a sophisticated twin to the previous track. When we talked earlier about the band having decisively chosen to widen its expressive range and approach the musical information in a more layered way than ever before, we can’t skip the closing Diham zrak. The organic weave with added tamburitzas is an absolute bullseye, and the composition suggests that a whole symphony orchestra could join this song in the arrangements without any trouble. A masterpiece that wraps up the album »Domina« as a whole made of polished, highly defined songs. In the arranging, in the sound treatment, in the remarkable blend of organic feel and sonic experiment, and in the heartfelt delivery of messages built on excellent lyrics, Anavrin have never fired up this convincingly until now. »Domina« is a new milestone in the maturing and deepening of the band’s unique, homegrown musical identity, and they’re not afraid to flirt with sonic experiments and, because of that, with new stylistic challenges on their path of healthy evolution. »Domina« is therefore a mirror of the great artistic maturity of Anavrin!
Lineup
Damir Lisica – vocals
Jure Golobič – guitar
Leon Kolenc – guitar, backing vocals
Anej Kočevar – bass guitar
Matej Selan – drums
GUEST MUSICIANS:
String quartet: on track no. 1
– Peter Jud
– Najke Makuc
– Valentin Štante
– Mark Kragelnik
Vinod Singh – backing vocals on track no. 5
Petra Venta – backing vocals on track no. 8
Maša Ficko – backing vocals on track no. 9
Matej Wolf – backing vocals on track no. 9
Monika Klobučar – keyboards on track no. 10
Eva Traven – vocals on track no. 11
Domen Kern – vibraphone on track no. 11
Tamburitza orchestra “Šmartno” on track no. 13.
Production
Anavrin
Tracklist
1. Mesto idej
2. Premalo enakih
3. Kralj
4. Tok
5. Okno
6. Domina
7. Habanero
8. Hiša iz kart
9. Klofuta
10. Mir
11. Soba zrcal
12. Drobtine
13. Diham zrak
