Plastilinovy JiNN - Mirage
Self-financed

file under alternative / pop

Frank D.: Ok, call me crazy, but if you would ask me to name one single band coming from the pulsing metal scene of Kazakhstan I would draw a complete blank. That is, until recently, because do I got an exotic treat for you all: Plastilinovy JiNN. My boss dropped this CD in my lap right at the moment I started staring out of my window wondering if the rain would ever stop. Well, with ‘Mirage’ the sun started shining again, at least indoors.….

Okay, let’s introduce them to you. The band started in 1997 and is pretty big in their home country. This isn’t the first album of the band and its predecessor did well back home. The lyrics are in Russian, so I don’t have a clue what they’re singing about, BUT on the website you can find a translation, so that problem is also solved. The band is geographically and stylish miles away from modern western music. This is obviously the kind of band which goes its own way, no matter what others think. There’re not going to clone the “Western”-sound that’s clear. And it has to be said: this is kind of a revelation. I know this sounds funny, but I just can’t fit them into a genre. If nothing else the sound reminds me of a heavy pimped version of eighties Neue Deutsche Welle with a big splash of guitars mixed in. And that scores points with me. Just take a shot at tracks like ‘I Pusty Padaet Sneg’, ‘Mirage’ and ‘Poka Angely Spyat’ and it’s clear why. This is just funny, poppy and catchy. This is the kind of album which could become a cult CD. Only shortcoming is the fact its playing time: a mere 28 minutes.

Conclusion? This is a love-it-or-leave-it record. I love it and if the day comes that this band is somewhere in a venue near me, I’m sure to check them out.

Score 79/100 (details)

http://jinn.delusion.ru/pages/all/music_eng.shtml