Oya Noya...

Orpheus Listening Challenge 2023: #17 One of your friend's favorite albums (42nd Album)

(This review is dedicated to a friend, you know who you are)

Whenever someone mentions Toma, I'm always associated to his album, which at the time I thought was his artistic peak, considering what I heard on the radio and TV coming from this album.

While his first album is an avant-garde folk anomaly of the Yugoslavian singer-songwriter scene, Oya Noya goes a step further and gives his style of crooning a much-needed bed of lush instrumental backing, adorned with violins and organ playing alongside the usual guitar, bass and drums, juxtaposing the avant-garde nature and the commercial goal he was keen to achieve.

In addition to that, the album is filled with a lot of very, very specific avant-folk melodies, singing and themes with can be interpreted as allegories of a lot of different things in life, but sometimes being humorous and full of that freewheeling Dalmatian spirit.

But I can't do justice in describing this album because it's oddly like nothing I've heard before, and I've heard his debut. It goes far beyond the mold most albums tend to stay in, while simultaneously being accessible to the average enjoyer of music from the Balkans.

Best songs include the self-titled Oya - Noya, which I did hear on the TV a few times, but as a much more... tame version compared to the one I was recommended. This one has a vibe to it similar to, in its chants and almost nauseating and feverish aura, Leute Moj, probably his most known song, Devizna Balada and Marčelina, but the whole album is a beast like no other. Big recommendations.

(Also, love hearing where some of the most famous beats from TBF come from. Kinda makes sense, since they're big fans of his)