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Belgrado “Obraz” Review – Stream – Visuals

Belgrado has embraced dub reggae. Donโ€™t worry. Their new album, Obraz (or โ€œImageโ€), skulks with the Barcelonian quartetโ€™s soulful post-punk bounce. Yet, Obraz, in its stoned languor, bespeaks the lauded anarchist outfitโ€™s embracing their age. Belgrado is not old, as Obraz is the third record of this July after the hits: Belgrado (2011) and Siglo XXI (2013), Belgrado just appears to be shoring up their graceful minimalism for less assault and more meditation. Obraz proves thereโ€™s more to Belgrado than the bonds of punk.

Proficiency has cut Belgrado from their progenitors and contemporaries. No one possesses such political lachrymosity draped over tactful artistry like Belgradoโ€™s Renzo Narvaez, Fernando Marquez, Patrycja Proniewska and Jonathan Sirit. Just watch test recording, โ€œEnsayo Siglo XXIโ€ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw2FEUa3uCY) all dressed in black albeit the white โ€œAโ€ symbolizing anarchy. Neither Arctic Flowers nor Bellicose Minds from Portland, and neither Rule of Thirds from Australia nor NYHCโ€™s Anasaziโ€™s can match because Belgrado stun you with their subterranean pogo groove riled by the Marquezโ€™s sharp wavering guitar. Siglo XXI was Belgradoโ€™s best record.

Siglo XXI looked good, too. Obraz does, too. Belgrado creates an aural world that reflects their cold, grey design. As visual artists, in their differing permutations, Narvaez, Marquez, Proniewska, and Sirit dabble German Bauhaus draped in post-Soviet sheik with pricks of Arabesque typography. Osmosis has occurred in Obraz. Belgradoโ€™s album cover is collaboration on visual fragments. The recording process was another group experiment (which you can read more about in Jessica Willoughby interview: HERE!

 

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Can Obraz stand against the tide of new Spanish punk? Belgrado is cold, refined in their craft, and confident to press against stringent punk. But their longtime label, La Vida Es Un Mus, has culled the best of Spain, not to mention recent bangers like Rixeโ€™s La Nerfs A Vif and the bawdy Lumpy and the Dumpers debut, Huff My Sack. Belgradoโ€™s placed amongst Barcelonaโ€™s churl on the new Pueden Ser Ellos. Not too mention the heavyweights: Una Bestia Incontrolable and Orden Mundial. Belgrado has a lot to contend with.

Narvaez, Marquez, and Sirit are a tight unit. The bond is most audible in Narvaezโ€™s bass playing and Siritโ€™s drumming, that musical relationship. It would be intriguing to hear them play alone. But Marquezโ€™s guitar conducts the two snaking its way through โ€œNa Ten Czasโ€. Marquez is distinct, his instrument carries the most effects, delays, etcโ€ฆ but he easily settles into the trio.

 

 

Then thereโ€™s Proniewska, the front woman whose bleached white hair popped from the dower Mediterranean cut of the bunch. Proniewska is Polish and had previously split her lyrics between English and Polish but on Obraz sheโ€™s embraced the latter. Belgradoโ€™s gentler sound doesnโ€™t have โ€œDead Generationโ€™sโ€ early punch. Proniewska doesnโ€™t shout that title like she once did aiming rather for a cabaret lilt, especially on โ€œ1000 Spektakliโ€. Proniewskaโ€™s voice is more instrument than spokeswoman.

Obraz is satisfying. Itโ€™s hazy, surreal, letting the listener dwell in a waste and then snaps into song, from โ€œKrajobrazโ€ to the pluck of โ€œRaz Dwa.โ€ Thereโ€™s some moments on Obraz that youโ€™d think were sampled from dub innovator King Tubbyโ€™s studio. The intros to โ€œDalejโ€ and โ€œ1000 Spektakliโ€ will catch you off guard for this reason. Belgrado sounds right here, an impressive place to behold from La Vida Es Un Musโ€™ cacophony.

 

 

Tuesday 16th – Oakland
( Belgrado (Spain) // Sun Bather // Crimson Scarlet // Syndicate )
โ— Wednesday 17th – S.F.
( Belgrado / Muerte / Odio / Kapital )
โ— Friday 19th – Pittsburg
( โ˜พSkull Fest & Second Skin present: Belgrado//Shadow Age//Empty Beingsโ˜ฝ )
โ— Saturday 20th – NYC
( Nowhere to Run Festival )
โ— Thursday 25th – Portland
( Belgrado, Spectres + guests )

 

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Written By

Here comes I that never come yit, with my big head and my little wit. New Orleans, Louisiana Contact: [email protected]

โ€œCHEPANG
FRAP 52925
Sentient 51625
โ€œBMM"

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