It is hard to find a band that has it’s own sound. It’s own identity if you will. Most find their spot in between thousands of like sounding bands, that all trace their lineage to the same exact band that they try to emulate, try to capture a sound that has been done before. Some eventually find their voice, but most fail to. None of this applies to Macedonia’s own Fonija, who have always had a specific voice, and a strong one at that. Fonija’s new LP offers nine songs of sublime post-punk, with influences from all over the place creeping in and filling the sound out. What Fonija manages to do, is to pay homage to their influences and at the same time craft songs that are undoubtedly them. And each of these nine treats have a different flavor to them; be it the new wave influenced Nema Generacija, the pop-punk of Cetvrtok, the heartwrenching Bez Kompasa or the haunting post-punk closer Bezdna. Every single one of these evokes a different feeling, a different ambience, while staying true to their core sound. The power trio have become an ever stronger unit than they were before. The simple formula of guitar, bass and drums that is over half a century old by now, is tight and razor sharp, the melodies and rhythms are world class. The bass lines trace their origins straight to Peter Hook, with a great combination of melody and pulsating rhythm, while the drums pace around them in a steady never ending circle. The tender, fitful guitar rounds it out while still giving space for the short bursts of synth that enter here and there. The vocals are as much pop as they are punk and will make you sing along after one listen. In the midst of the instrumentation they manage to cut out their own sonic space, which is not an easy feat to accomplish, yet they manage to do this spectacularly. Fonija shy away from the distortion drenched sounds that sometimes seem to dominate the scene to offer us a refreshing take on some familiar sounds. The LP is just further proof of the talent and amazing songwriting they have been shoving us for years. The only down side is that Fonija are not from the US, because otherwise you would all have been listening to them for years. Maybe you will now. If not, you will only have yourselve to blame.

Tracklist:
1. Ulici Bez Ime
2. Nema Generacija
3. Vreminja
4. Četvrtok
5. Bez Kompas
6. Robot Ili Dete
7. Patokaz
8. Denes
9. Bezdna