MIMO 4 - Lovely Quinces and Druyd @MSU 12Apr2013

Fourth MIMO (Media Inventory of Music Originals) was held on April 12th at usual place in wonderful Gorgona hall of MSU Zagreb and it brought us Lovely Quinces and Druyd. Organization was impeccable, as always, and there was online streaming for international audiences as well as broadcasting on Radio Sljeme. Audience changed considerably from my last visit and there was noticeable lack of young urbanites of Pitchforky persuasion and considerable increase in organic cotton wearers with subtle hints of religious nonconformity among intoxicating preservative-free cosmetics smell. I fancied seeing that very much; it adds to the spirit of "Inventory" part in MIMO and noticing that diversity and yet "sameness" appeases my sense of security and consolidates the impression that all is well.

It is no accident that "Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations" was imagined to be the basis of Vulcan philosophy.

So, how was it?

I came forwarned that Dunja Ercegovic a.k.a. Lovely Quinces turns to primeval goddess as she starts to sing and that was stone chiseled truth.

She was frightened and confused and she was so cute in her stage fright I bet all of us had the irresistible urge to hug and comfort her... and yet, she bravely plowed on. She talked between songs and she told us titles and bits of stories about every song and she was both youthful and unmistakeably experienced and it was at the same time heartbreaking and heartwarming to see this lovely, young (21) creature transmute these experiences (seldom pleasurable) into wonderful songs. I was especially impressed by her powerful singing voice which she used with enthralling ease to sing emotion-ridden passages and it felt so calming, so matter-of-the-factly convinced that all will turn out for the best that I was and still am in awe.

And... I'm not really sure how to put this... it was an overwhelming feel of Sandman's sand in that voice, not so much the mythical character from Northern Europe but Gaiman's sexy and lethal Lord of Dreams facing the fact of life: "The Lord of Dreams learns that one must change or die, and makes his decision."

You can sample that wonderful voice through this clip:

"Band part" of the evening went to Druyd:

 They are, and that can plainly be seen and heard here on their bandcamp page, world music at its best, that can go hand in hand with best of them in the business.This music is not something I really enjoy as it unnerves and troubles me to listen to it at home but it was a thrilling and enlivening experience to hear them live. I have not been aware that didgeridoo could be used as de facto percussion section; I always felt that it is a wind instrument and that it adds melody rather than rhythm - which did not appear to be the case here.

Druyd also have strong sense of knowledge and respect for world music lore and they were a sight to be seen and remembered; they wore stage clothes, had painted themselves with intricate nature-like details (singer wore wings!), performed bare-footed, were surrounded with the aura of obligatory nonconformism (to mainstream culture, that is) and wore perplexing smiles of deeply satisfied people.

Lot remains to be said about popularization of knitting through their work.

There is lovely photo gallery here on MIMO facebook page where you can see more clearly happenings of last Friday. More will be served in two weeks time, on Friday April 26th, presented by MIMO at wonderful Gorgona hall of MSU Zagreb.