Through Acoustic Infinity Vol. 1

Published in April of 2019, this collection of songs played in an intimate acoustic atmosphere, has made it into the hands of Abbey Road Studios producer Andrew Walter, who mastered the mix the band’s own Tomo Bacurin had mixed at Longplay Studio in Zagreb. This album features songs that were to announce the forthcoming albums featuring a powerhouse vocalist Mario Huljev … but got postponed due to numerous circumstances emerging from the pandemic. Thus, those songs rose to life in an acoustic arrangement prior to the classic, full-lineup orchestration. It is a soothing voyage through the emotions portrayed with raw virtuosity and passion. 

Featuring:

• Mario Huljev – vocals
• Josip Pesut – acoustic guitar
• Damir Somen – percussion
• Tomislav Lackovic – bass guitar
• Tomo Bacurin ‘Diamond’ – piano
• Giuliana Alimoski – flute

Produced by:

• Josip Pesut – arrangements
• Tomo Bacurin ‘Diamond’ – mix (Longplay Studio Zagreb)
• Andrew Walter – mastering (Abbey Road Studios London)

Tracklist:

“The guitar riff introducing the song was lying around as an idea for a very long time before the melody and lyrics came about. The night when they came I must have written five other songs, among which were ‘Only One Thing’ and ‘Side By Side’. It just happens sometimes, that inspiration guides you to a state of creativity you cannot force nor impose upon yourself in any artificial way. Although, the topic of this song pretty much explains the nonsensical discontent that was present in my relationship at the time. We had it all, still not enough.”

“When I wrote this song, I knew I had to record an acoustic album. It was around 11 p.m. when I had this song laid out and I immediately rang Diamond, announcing the project (and luckily enough, my financial situation at the time allowed such sudden expensive maneuvers). He freed up terms in the coming weeks, so we could call in Damir Somen, who had genuinely impressed us on our previous engagements. Damir showed up with a wagonful of percussion that we collectively dubbed ‘the furniture’, and with ‘the furniture’ he brought the unique and recognizable sound that suited the direction we chose to go with the music. ‘Only One Thing’ was the spark that ignited a lot of fire, perhaps it had to do with so much emotions buried in its melody and lyrics as it truly was an autobiographical story.”

“Indebted to this song by what it had given me while I was playing a solo guitar over homemade backing tracks, I chose it as I thought it would break up the downbeat vibe of most of the other songs from this album. Besides, its message is a call to action and a reminder that the faith in your dreams can truly change your life for the better.”

“This song, like many other beautiful things in my life, came out of the blue. I simply took the guitar in my hands and started playing, humming the melody, while the lyrics came about as if they were always there, just waiting for me to tap into them. Spontaneous things are often the best, and ‘Didn’t Even Make A Sound’, in my explicitly subjective opinion, is one of the tracks that carry this whole album.”

“I was listening to ‘The Life’ album in my car, when I realized, halfway into the song, that I started singing along to it, a perfectly suiting melody that came along with the lyrics in the chorus that will have ultimately made it in the song’s final version. To make an acoustic version of this mellow song was the most natural thing in this world.’

“Rich with wonderful memories of travel and special places all around Europe, where I’d gone with the girl for whom I wrote this song, it always takes me back to those vibes and times when the hardships we will have not survived as a couple would have never even crossed our minds.”

“I wrote this song for my late mother. She favored the demo she had heard, which was the skeleton of an arrangement that will have eventually made it to ‘Fantasy Engines’ and ‘Energy Worlds’ albums. Even though we still haven’t finished, let alone released, the so-to-say main version of this song, I picked it as it looked to me as a theme that would have nicely blended into what we were trying to do with this acoustic album. Besides, I hold this song pretty close to my heart.”

“It was one of the songs which I doubted would fit the shoes of the project, but when everyone played their takes, it somehow came together like a fine dish of contrasting ingredients and dubious cooking methods. I came to like ‘Side By Side’, especially when we’d play it live. It gives a lot of freedom for investing emotions in its subject, mainly because it’s about the long-lasting friendships, some of which were present in the band.”

“I knew that it’d be relatively easy to rearrange this song for the acoustic version, but I didn’t know how fun it would be to play it. Since this was perhaps the fifth studio take, when looking back from when I wrote it, no wonder there was hardly any stress about putting an acoustic arrangement together that worked like a charm.”

“One more yet-unreleased song that will have made it on the ‘Fantasy Engines’ and ‘Energy Worlds’ album, also dating back to my teenage days. Its work title was ‘Night Ride’, and I remember that I had once recorded it with Damjan Mravunac, a renowned video-game music composer mostly known for his contribution to the Serious Sam franchise, perchance of selling it to some gaming project. Since that didn’t quite do the trick, I often played it live and have once used it in a guitar competition, where I had made it into the finals. I guess I wanted to capture the youthful vibe that it originally contained. Have I succeeded or not? It’s hard to tell … but at least it nicely wrapped up this story.”