Maruja, experimental punk, post-rock band from Manchester, UK, has released their latest hypnotising record, “Tir na nÓg.” The fully improved EP is captivating, full of drums, guitar and saxophone. Each song tells a story that leaves you sinking into the music, laying face up in a pool of water feeling each note ripple around you.
“Aon,” the leading track of the record, starts tranquil. It feels like staring out to the sea, watching the moon reflect off the water. The saxophone adds a mysterious, melancholy feeling to the song. Followed by drums, it becomes a dizzying tune that, mixed with the feedback, leaves you whirring with energy. The vocals are like a voice in the wind, calling out through the noise.
“Dó,” the following track, blends seamlessly with the former, joining the sounds together to spin an even bigger tale of tones and warbles. The drums emerge through the saxophone and guitar, creating an entrancing resonance. The song is heart-racing in its own right. Bursting with vocals that rush through you and stay ringing and circling through your head long after the track has ended.
“Tri” is calmer than the rest, though still buzzing with intensity. The saxophone seems to take the lead, with a steady drum holding strong in the background. The guitar then comes forward, full of reverb and anguish. The song pulls you in and leaves you entrapped with the ever-circulating notes.
“Ceathair,” the fourth and final track, is transcendental. The cries of the saxophone and the pounding of the drums twist and turn in your brain, leaving their mark. A full and profound ending to a novelistic record, the song creates a passage for you to get lost in.
“Tir na nÓg” stands out among the rest of the scene. With a record like nothing before, Maruja has found their sound in a unique yet addictive way. The band will be embarking on their US and Canada tour on Feb. 28 in Vancouver and playing their final show on their headlining tour in Boston on March 23.
