27th November 2019

Under The Influence #22: Aristic on “Macro” by Jinjer!

We’ve spoken a lot about Ukraine’s finest export Jinjer, a female fronted quartet that seamlessly blend the heavier end of Groove Metal with DJent and Progressive Metal to create something sublime. If there is anyone out there reading this and a Metal Head who hasn’t heard of Jinjer, then we’d have to say, we’d eat our beer can. Once we’ve emptied it. Of course. The story of Jinjer has been one of a rise from obscurity, through adversity, to become a Global Metal phenomenon. We discovered them in the space between “Cloud Factory” and “King Of Everything” and we’re lucky enough to witness a packed show at Camden Underworld, where any doubt that they could do what they do in the studio live was obliterated in seconds. So when we asked Aristic if he would like to participate in our Under The Influence series, to receive a piece on an album that we not only know and love, but that was only released a few months ago… We’ll, it’s just staggering and shows just how influential the Ukrainian quartet have become.

Aristic comment: “In a world where music is more accessible than ever and, above all, in the huge amount it is consumed, artists/bands like Jinjer are a percentage that is very small in the large context of all the music that exists. I would like to state that the experimental playfulness of these bands and artists is what makes them being that very small percentage. The amount of respect i have for bands that have the courage and talent to think outside the box is huge. There are, of course, more albums and bands/artists that have influenced me and given me the courage to experiment with my own music. However, the album, “Macro” by Jinjer is something special and the freshest at the moment.

In “Macro”, Jinjer writes music that is unpredictable and that is something I love. Every track is amazing and exciting in its own way. It is dark brutal riffs, fast riffs that are ingeniously softly shifted into a nice light atmospheric melody. Not least is this playfulness and courage to experiment showed when the song “Judgment (& Punishment)” have a reggae part. The track after, “Retrospection” begins powerfully with lyrics in their native language. To conclude, “LainnereP” ties the experimental bag together and leaves me with a great need to start over on the album. To understand more. There are so many levels in the music that listening more is required. And when I am listening, I am drawn deeper into the need to want to hear more. For each listening, I get a new revelation. A new detail I haven’t heard before.

Vladislav Ulasevich plays the drums with creativity (and a lot of ghost notes) to the playfully ingenious riffs from Roman Ibramkhalilov and Eugene Abdukhanov. Tatiana Shmailyuk is like a schizophrenia that alternates effortless between beautiful singing and brutal growls. And it’s great! The lyrics is also very thoughtful and gives me even more discoveries when re-listening.

Without a doubt, Jinjer’s attitude is something that influences me tremendously in my own music. To constantly dare, try and experiment to create music that is interesting and re-listenable. Just as I experience with Jinjer, I want my listeners to discover more details in the music every time they listen to the songs. To deeply understand the content of each song.”