Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Neomi
Label: Celinka
Release: 2011
Duration: 42:29
Rating: 4.5/5
Neomi are yet another band we can safely put on the list of those who should be building a healthy Slovenian musical "mainstream" – if the rules in it were set by musical enthusiasm and an "honorable fight" between bands, where the only thing that counts in the mutual contest is the quality of expressing your own artistry, rather than financial backing. I’m living in an illusion, aren’t I? Those who spent their "teenage" years in the sixties or seventies would surely disagree with me. But let’s step away from reflections on the developmental stage of human civilization in 2012 and talk instead about the debut of the band Neomi, called »Poglej«.
The septet builds on completely clean, organic soundscapes. Neomi don’t overcomplicate things. Their motif is stringing together sonic collages of simple melodiousness, short and tightly woven strokes with a relaxed character that hooks you right from the first listen. The songs are extremely short, often barely over three minutes. Take Temno modro, for instance, which simply ends with a jazzy guitar solo, even though there’s enough room in the composition for at least one more run of the chorus.
The first thing that grabs your attention in Neomi’s music is the distinctive voice of singer Saša Vipotnik. Her timbre has a doll-like, childish tone that can come across as "honey-sweet", and it also underlines the fragile girlishness and spotless, yearning note that such a voice gives to the expression of the songs themselves. Saša’s voice works perfectly in a completely organically built soundscape, because in such an environment of musical accompaniment the sensitive side of vocal expression is magnified even further. The sensuality in the sophisticated delivery of the verses sparkles especially intensely in a song like To bitje, where Saša’s voice is practically "naked", accompanied only by a piano. It’s precisely this "nakedness", along with the melodically excellent solution captured in the chorus tune, that is the key to the album’s exceptionally sensitive, intense finale! If it’s not the piano, as in the calm Poglej, which spreads the message "live and let live", then it’s the warmth of the embrace of the "Hammond-like" organ sound, in Luči so ugasnile. The songs follow the compactness of verse-chorus composition, with hints leaning toward jazz, blues and chanson (Luči so ugasnile). But that’s not a rule. And that’s exactly why Neomi’s music is so interesting: with the debut "Poglej" it already carries a clear note of recognizability, let’s rather say "difference". The title track is the ideal example, bringing all of Neomi’s recognizable characteristics together under one roof. In other words, a bit of their own artistry and the influences of inspiration from jazz and blues.
Where is this difference? First and foremost, undoubtedly in the excellent way the melodies of the choruses work, growing out of the specifics of the lead vocal’s expression (the opener "Čudovito" already wins you over on that count). "Razglašeno" is the type of song you can’t stick anywhere, in any genre pigeonhole. The band squeezes out an exceptional melodic character especially in the chorus, while the guitar in this song makes particularly effective use of the available space freed up in the accompaniment position, giving the song a special charm with concise, simply placed moves and just a few ornamental notes. It’s precisely this unpretentious guitar playing of simple tricks (such as the cosmetic "Floydian Gilmour-esque soundscape" in the chorus of Odpri oči), which with its flexibility effectively uses the background of the sonic accompaniment, that builds up, in Neomi’s music, the attribute of expressive distinctiveness alongside the lead vocal.
Another truly special moment on the album is the song "Opica", where the band bet most of its expressive power on shaping rhythmic textures, which it even reinforces in the chorus with additional percussion. "Opica", along with the song "Začarana", is the type of composition that’s ideal for rotation on radio frequencies. It has a well-combined mix of listenability and the originality of the band’s astute artistry, commanded by the distinctive vocal performance of singer Saša Vipotnik.
The album’s generally dreamy, laid-back yet deeply sensual character is stirred up by the funk-jazz-tinged "Začarana", where the active playing of a "fretless" bass guitar also sneaks into the warmth of the sonic picture. This is the kind of songwriting we Slovenes have a good handle on. Especially the musically trained ones. A fusion of jazz and rock or of jazz and funk (in the case of "Začarana") has always gone down well with us. The integration of the flugelhorn and the added dialogue between the backing vocals and the lead vocal in the chorus creates a moment on the album with a truly special mood and art character. "Začarana" is one of the loveliest proofs of the band members’ multilayered musical education, their broadly comprehending musical intellect, and their flexible astuteness in searching for different principles of delivering musical information – a band that, first and foremost (and this is the most important thing), doesn’t hide a great expressive musical talent.
Neomi are an unusual bunch. With their debut they’re already developing their own recognizable musical stamp. You can certainly pick up cues of jazz, blues and soul, as well as elements of chanson, but that’s typical of the musical environment in which many Slovenian bands try their luck. When it comes to melody, Neomi are an exceptionally strong band. The lead melodies sound "Slovenian", but different, which gives the band that art element that sets it apart from other Slovenian bands, the ones who only manage successful imitation and consequently lose their character in a sea of genericness. Neomi are a band you absolutely have to check out. The debut »Poglej« is a collection of songs that are easy to get into, with a clear mark of originality that will draw your attention. It’ll be interesting both for those of you who are demanding listeners and get nudged in the ear by even the slightest shifts in sonic nuance, and for those who don’t rack their brains too much and just want listenability “right out of the gate”.
Lineup
Saša Vipotnik – vocals
Erik Marenče – keyboards
Tadej Košir – guitar
Jernej Kržič – bass
Anže Žurbi – drums
Urban Sever – backing vocals
Katja Sever – backing vocals
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Miha Koretič – acoustic guitar on track no. 3
Jan Štangelj – cello on track no. 9
Igor Matkovič – flugelhorn on track no. 10
Production
Jernej Kržič
