Dusan Jevtovic - No Answer

MoonJune Records has been on a roll with me since 2013. Again, I have a love for this label after discovering them in the first of the Romantic Warriors series. It is almost as if Leonardo Pavkovic has won both the World Series and the Super Bowl when it comes to releases. One of the albums that has suddenly landed on my knees is Dusan Jevtovic’s new release this year entitled, No Answer. With two albums in the can including On the Edge and Am I Walking Wrong? He paired up with keyboardist Vasil Hadzimanov and drummer Asaf Sirkis.

The album was recorded last year in two days in February at La Casa Murada Studio in Spain. This is something you might want to take notice of these amazing musicians that have never disappointed me from day one the moment I’ve put this album on my portable CD player that made me want to come back more and more. Listening to No Answer is walking towards the opened doors as if they have finally come out to embrace to see where the possible universes will take you.

The six highlights on here are revolutionary and make you embark to go back in time and seeing what the 22^nd century lies ahead. You have the title-track which at first you can imagine Dusan tipping his hat to the genius of Alex Lifeson and the Frippertronics creating these ominous tones which reminisce of Cygnus X-1 from A Farewell to Kings. But it’s when Vasil and Dusan create these dark sinister yet dooming approach of film-noir.

The wailing moments that Dusan hits those tones, creates these dramatic sections before crashing with an eruptive volcanic bang. Vasil comes into the forefront and does a piano movement that lends through classical, blues, and jazz that at times is both honoring the Perry Mason theme and Nina Simone. And then, the last minute and 26 seconds brings everyone together and ending on a heavier note.

Lifetime sees the trio riding down the freeway in a deserted area with the Blues. Dusan cuts through the trees to chop them down one by one with his virtuosic improvisation while Asaf follows suit to keep on the mark on his drum kit as Vasil’s dooming Rhodes into the tunnels. Asaf Sirkis is an incredible drummer for me. Not only he’s great, but he hits those tom-toms, snare, and cymbals to keep up the ideas and brainstorming moments he would come up with.

It’s evidential on Prayer when he comes to the center stage as both Dusan and Vasil give him a chance to bring his electrical force and energy into the ring. He goes through various movements as if the three of them go into this middle-eastern sound by going into the pyramids to discover the tomb of the Pharaoh, Tutankhamun. El Oro is Vasil channeling the three Keith’s; Tippett, Jarrett, and Emerson.

He heads towards the Moog to make these sounds go into a low and rising sound that has some odd-time changes from the intro right into the very end and believe me, it is prog to the core! The opener, Al Aire/Soko Bira is the piano going through a loop between Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells-era and Italian Progressive Rock group, Goblin. It’s Vasil tipping his hat for both artist and band. Followed by Dusan’s roaring chords and mysterious vibes on the cymbals, the trio create this darker atmosphere and lurking behind you by giving the listener, the creeps.

And then there’s Frusci. It almost features the Tritone in the opening section by essence of early Black Sabbath, but then it goes something straight out the sessions between King Crimson’s Larks’ Tongues in Aspic and Led Zeppelin’s No Quarter from Houses of the Holy. Vasil creates on the Rhodes this delay/reverb effects along with the cavernous tunnels with his Moog. Dusan takes you on his Aeroplane and flying through the frets by creating magic and soaring into the unknown.

Jevtovic’s music never disappoints me. In my book, he takes the listener to various levels wherever he would them either high or low. There is some presence when you feel his appearance coming towards you by listening to his music. And with No Answer, he makes you looking at the Crystal Ball and seeing where your future will take you beyond and before.