Meowlau x Val / Nevermind
A new duo on the Slovak independent music scene formed by musicians Laura Jašková and Valentina Vlková. They first met in a television music competition in 2019 and have worked together on music ever since. Bass and guitar player Meowlau is also known from playing with the Slovak indie-pop band Billy Barman and she also played as guest musician on the album by Slovak artist Richard Müller. The debut EP called Nevermind contains six tracks and was released on February 22 by Gergaz label.
SRNKA / Vedeli by ste niekto zahrať tmu?
The band SRNKA has got a rather interesting cast. You could almost call it a super-group as its band members have each their own rich musical history: Michaela Paštéková (vocals), Miroslav Tóth (composer / electronics), Marek Buranovský (guitar) a Zdeněk Závodný (saxophone). As the members themselves claim, they invented a completely new genre called dark forest industrial on its debut album called Vedeli by ste niekto zahrať tmu? The album was released by Tothem Records.
Daniel Kordik / Ocela
Daniel Kordik is one of the most active and most interesting producers / composers of contemporary experimental electronic music in Slovakia. His work is fruitful and wide: from techno releases (Jamka and Urbsounds Collective), through field recordings ([Sy][ria], Poznova), to numerous collabs and improvisation sessions (V rýchlosti pomaly with Matejka and Tóth; Mimo-Soto with Ken Ikeda). The latest record Ocela was released by experimental label Weltschmerzen.
Nina Kohout / Pandemonium
Nina Kohout is an 19-year-old artist from Slovakia based in London. The new direction that she is taking on her freshly released new EP Pandemonium was already forshadowed on her last single Moonlight back in December. The atmosphere is heavier, the sound is more experimental and the themes are darker. As Nina says: “Pandemonium is a vague line between imaginary and real, madness and so-called sanity, whatever that is. Pandemonium is me, my soul, wild curiosity, my sensitivity which is both the heaviest burden of mine yet the biggest gifts of all. It’s my fears, treasures, frustrations and desires which throughout the process of creation literally became reality.” The record was released by Deadred Records.
Adela Mede / Szabadság
Szabadság (means “navigation” in Hungarian) is a debut album by young artist Adela Mede. The album was recorder in her family home on Slovakian-Hungarian border. The composer is searching through the personal, familial, cultural, folkloric and geographic of her past and present. Adela Mede is experimenting with her voice, field recordings and languages (Slovak, Hungarian and English) that she uses on this record. “The three languages weave a song of spring, nature, forgiveness, togetherness and rebirth.”
Tolstoys / Mirror Me
Long-awaited second album by the group Tolstoys is finally here. It is called Mirror Me and its central theme is the search for one’s own identity. Tolstoys worked for more than two years on this album, travelling between Berlin, Prague, Bratislava and a cottage in Nizke Tatry mountains in the central Slovakia. The album is produced by Berlin based producers Drew Deal and Grammy nominated audio engineer Zino Mikorey melding groovy fretless beats, prickly 80s casio synths and pristine voice of frontwoman Ela. Mirror Me was released last month by Slnko Records.
Elýščítat / Transformative Disruption
“Transformative Disruption: ever changing, surprising eclectic piece that reminds you about beauty and variegation of life.” This is how young Slovak electronic producer Ondrej Obst defines the album by his own words. Elýščítat is back with an eclectic record that has everything the year 2021 brought him. “I really wanted to show my internal thought processes, my ego, my soul. Just whole me right now. So here it is. Avant-garde at its finest. This project of mine is mirroring me and my life to the bone. I couldn’t be more happy that it is done. For real, it was really hard, draining but after all really enriching and for that I’m thankful. Such a wild ride!“
Martin Burlas / lost
Last but not least, here is a brand new track by Slovak renowned composer Martin Burlas: Lost.