Awake in a Dream

Meszecsinka feature Hungarian, Bulgarian, Croatian and Polish musicians coming together to create a fusion that has been labelled ‘psychedelic, new wave folk.’ The psychedelic element certainly is prominent on several tracks, as Meszecsinka aim for trance-like atmospheres that recall the likes of The Orb and Ozric Tentacles, with the band conjuring up huge waves of rushing sound. The Balkan flavour is very prominent on opening tune ‘Nehéz’ (Hard) where what sounds like a zurna (a primitive oboe still played at celebrations in Macedonia, Greece and Turkey) shrieks and wails as the band rock. It is wild and messy, like the soundtrack to the rave at the end of the universe. Other tracks fit more conventionally into the well-ploughed genre of breathy female singer against atmospheric backing: think an East European Kate Bush or Cocteau Twins. As far as ‘folk rock’ goes, Meszecsinka are a long way from Fairport Convention and The Byrds.

It’s a little all over the place, as they try to fuse traditional instrumentation with psychedelic and indie rock. But it remains a fluid album, with the band members gelling easily.