FULL STEAM AHEAD

Writing summer and London in a same sentence does put a smile on my face. And you might think it funny for one way or another but we do get more and more hot weather. Last year was a longest and hottest by far and only last week temperature reached 39C. That is substantially more than most of us would care to entertain even in our wildest dreams let alone on a daily basis. And point of it all ? Well after that scorching last week week something incredible happened. Seismic shift, an eruption, or even divine intervention,call it whatever you want but I got hold of a debut album of another special band, one that is about to rock mine and your World for months to come.

“Can’t Steal It” by LARSKA is one of the debuts of the year. Stoner rockers from Serbia have released an H-bomb of an album, and I just can not get enough of this stuff. Name comes from SCALAR a term used in maths and physics and means “something that has size but no direction”.And while the band maybe still be on a look out, I’d say they perfectly know where they’re heading.

Hailing from town of Kragujevac, deep in the heart of Serbia, and once home to car industry giant that developed Yugo, band’s influences and songs subjects are all around them, on passers by faces, on the walls of abandoned factories and in their family homes. Life seen thru the eyes of these 20-something paints a bleak picture but also a very powerful one too. Looking at the host of bands they have looked up to, from Kyuss and Floyd, to Melvins and Nirvana, it all makes sense. The dark tones and nihilistic vocals, the ambience and the message.

This three piece rocks like there’s no tomorrow: heavy punching drum beats, bass that reverberate in you lungs, and…another bass for good measure, leading on a stoner psych ride unlike any other.

From the opening “Wrong way”, politically charged “Epitome of Ignorance” and Layne Staley-like  doom prediction vocals you are up there with a band, and frankly there is nowhere else you wanna be right now. Song after song, tune after tune the Larska music paints such a strong visual picture it is almost scary yet beautiful at the same time. Riffs are fat and beat precise but magic that comes out of the speakers is bigger than Berlin Wall, darker than Darth Vader yet warmer than Ethiopian sun. As if the Almighty got involved Himself. And who knows?

My favourite “Stearin”, eponymous “Can’t Steal It” or doom ace that is “Jeffrey” awakens AIC frontman once again and shiver runs down you spine. Wall of sound is immense, and so confidently delivered one wants to jump from joy, and hug a stranger.

All in all 56 minutes of absolute sonic orgasm. And while you may opt for an additional helping of happiness, for recreational purposes of course, I will put my feet up, and music on a repeat. This is huge my friends, so special I believe we are lucky to be alive and witnessing a birth of beautiful beginning, beauty that is LARSKA.