Baja is the project/band of the Stuttgart based composer/musician Daniel Vujanić. Since 2003 he has developed the idea and the compositions for a very diverse body of work in a couple of segments. Different from its brother/sister-release Maps/Systemalheur – released earlier this year on the belgian still label – the new CD/LP Aloha Ahab rather deals with compact post-punk /rock /pop structures (including Vujanić’s vocals and lyrics), than the free jazz / electronica / neoclassic and folk influenced (almost) instrumentals from Maps/Systemalheur. Although you will find the fragmented beauty of scoremusic, traces of crispy electronica and wall-of-sound shifts in the 14 songs, there is no pretentious look mommy, this is avantgarde! gesture. The bottomline of Aloha Ahab , and maybe the major key to its understanding, are the beautiful and highly addictive melodies and harmonies. As simple as that.
There have been countless comparisons to acts/artists like: The Sea & Cake, Tortoise, The Books, Fourtet, Motorpsycho, Gastr del Sol, Mark Hollis and Mice Parade to name but a few, but in the end the listener will witness Vujanić’s unique organic digitalism signature sounds and production. Listen to the nervous rock energy of from slogan to spectacle, the psychedelic neo-kraut pulse of a river splits love & spits out bones or the catchy opening gem circa now.
As already heard on Maps/Systemalheur, Aloha Ahab features the talents of the Bajaband again: Heiner Stilz on clarinets, saxes and flute. Niko Lazarakopoulos on drums . Daniel Kartmann on drums and vibes. Mariana Vujanic on vocals and of course, Daniel Vujanić on everything else.
Special vocal guest on the track gibraltar sequence: Tim Kinsella from Joan of Arc/Make Believe.
Arctic Rodeo releases:
BAJA – “Aloha Ahab” – CD / LP (arr003)