Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Vezoja, Daniel
Label: Self-released
Release: 2016
Rating: 4.5/5
Daniel Vezoja is a Slovenian singer-songwriter from Brežice. He grew up and developed inspired by the figures and work of the giants of the craft, like Leonard Cohen, Patti Smith, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, the short-lived but unforgettable Jeff Buckley, and from there it’s not far to the tantalizing »jangle« sounds of some good old R.E.M. With his studio debut »Where the Light Resides«, he firmly puts himself on the world music map (not just the Slovenian one), seemingly shy and modest at first glance, but, given the perfectionism on display, incredibly penetrating, cohesive and ambitious at the same time. Why did I unleash such a thunderous wave of compliments in the intro to this review? Because »Where the Light Resides« is an exceptionally beautiful album.
Judging by Daniel’s geographic roots alone, you’d figure his record sounds closer to the debut of Borta Rossa, or to the work of old-timers like Drevored. The Brežice-Krško basin, part of the wider Lower Carniola region, that is. Work from that corner has always had a gently melancholic ring, which isn’t unusual for Slovenia as a whole, but the Lower Carniola end has its own recognizable quirks. The music on this album will feel close to anyone who knows, say, the debut by Balladero, though between the two records there are sharply etched differences in emotional energy, the kind you can feel between the Lower Carniola and Prekmurje scenes.
Like Balladero, Daniel sings entirely in English, and he pulls it off superbly. He gets a high musicality yield out of his song structures through properly placed verse meter, which, compared to Slovenian artists, is more the exception than the rule. The album reaches a kind of »flawlessness« that can challenge the work of native Anglo-Saxon artists. Even all the current ones fighting for a scrap of recognition under the crowded »free« sun of the music market, whose wings are clipped by the endless, selfish gluttony of the music corporations. That’s why Daniel is first and foremost an »indie« musician in the true sense of the word. An independent artist who, in his artistically expressive truthfulness, reacts at every moment on his own terms, in his own way, and therefore with complete sovereignty. His deeply feeling subtlety in perceiving and translating musical magic found kindred souls in Ireland. So the man’s path led him to Dublin, where he found a second home and bonded closely and wholeheartedly with local musicians with established names, who helped him co-create this record and, in fact, squeeze the expressive optimum out of Daniel’s basic musical vision.
The result is an achievement that Daniel, and indirectly the Slovenian music scene and its current pulse, can be immensely proud of. Nine tracks, including a superbly arranged version of the Patti Smith classic Chelsea 1972, stand, in their search for an exceptional organic dialogue between acoustics and the occasional »jangle« sound, simply flawless. The input of the Irish musicians naturally pulls the record’s sound toward the Celtic, yearning breath of mist saturated with fine rain from the northwestern sea that forever »licks« the British Isles. That excellent collision of Irish folk, radio-friendly musicality and a pinch of blues (evoked by one of the lead guitar ornaments) comes together, for instance, in the song Leaving Town Tomorrow. In the closing Lullaby, though, an incredibly soft, yearningly melancholic number, that Irish folk moment even takes over the album. Together with Joanna Marie, he sings another duet, in the song I Hope Wind Knows, which even flirts with elements of Americana. Here the sweet Joanna Marie joins Daniel, with his superb, almost angelic vocal, in a duet. The opening stretch of the record is steeped in the penetrating »indie-jangle« sound of the radio-friendly title track and, right behind it, Suzanna Smiling, which immediately give you a glimpse of the rich artistic yield of this album: the compositions are arranged to perfection. In terms of crafting an incredibly reconciliatory dialogue between verses and choruses, top-notch musical execution, short, gentle, feeling sonic pastels strung along the album’s musical landscape by the instruments, and above all the devoted, sincerely felt and, because of that sincerity, exceptionally penetrating vocal performance by Daniel Vezoja. The execution of the vocal lines on this album proves in a most genuine way that heart and honesty in musical artistry beat everything else. Daniel is incredibly piercing in every register he picks with his voice. The production is organic, clean and incredibly dynamic and lively, and it only strengthens the overall picture of this record. The instruments sit in beautiful balance, coexist in great sonic harmony, and masterfully color and contrast the vocal, which of course sits front and center.
So there’s no running out of words of praise here, and given the refined structure, you’ll peel back the veils of musical substance, shade by shade, the way this record embodies it. With every new listen. And through all its bold and committed arranging, it keeps a delicate touch of musical catchiness throughout, so you can listen to it at any moment of your daily routine. It speaks to the listener so gently that at least a small piece of your soul quickly finds itself in it. You form a kinship of the soul with it fast. If you’re even a little bit intuitive and flexible enough to jump out of the embrace of the rational and dive into your own unique world as an individual, as Daniel Vezoja manages so authentically through his musical artistry.
Let me not go too far. Check out this album. It’ll win you over instantly and carry you across plains of incredible yearning and sweet melancholy. And beneath the usual sadness smolders a bubbling passion for the joy of being and for enjoying life in all its shades. Don’t forget: Daniel knows exactly where the light resides. »Where The Light Resides« is one of the strongest releases to come out of Slovenia’s singer-songwriter scene this year, and it has masterfully earned a spot where it can compete flawlessly on the international stage.
Daniel Vezoja (feat. Joanna Marie) – I Hope Wind Knows (official video):
Lineup
Daniel Vezoja – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar on track no. 1
Gavin Glass – electric guitar, baritone guitar on track no. 5, dobro on track no. 6, Rhodes keyboards, Hammond organ, synths
Scott Halliday – bass guitar, double bass on track no. 7, drums, percussion
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Joanna Marie – vocals on tracks no. 6 and no. 9
Travis Lyon – pedal steel on tracks no. 4, no. 5, no. 7 and no. 9
Production
Gavin Glass
Tracklist
1. Where the Light Resides
2. Suzanna Smiling
3. Old Memory
4. Cat In The Alley
5. Stones Don’t Cry
6. I Hope The Wind Knows
7. Chelsea 1972
8. Leaving Town Tomorrow
9. Lullaby
