Released: January 12, 2024

Genre: Alternative / Psychedelic

From: Spain

Label: Yai Yai Records

Why you should listen: Mohama Saz is a Spanish group consisting of Adrián Ceballos on Drums and vocals, Javier Alonso on Baglama Saz and vocals, and Sergio Ceballos on Bass and vocals. M​á​quina de Guerra is their fifth studio album but my first introduction to the band, and I’m immediately drawn to the deep psychedelic, Mediterranean, North African and Middle Eastern influences throughout the project. The 7-track project features some heavy guitar melodies and arrangements that sound absolutely electric throughout. From the hypnotic guitar lead on the opener “Yai Yai”, with its subtle but poignant percussion, to the atmospheric and beautiful 8-minute closer “Arbolito”, the compositions meander between heavy desert rock and more melodic and soulful moments. “Baris” has these hypnotic guitar leads that rumble and roar throughout the track, with soulful vocals that add an almost tribal energy to the track. The Baglama saz on “Ursus” is infectious, with dense compositions that are absolutely electric throughout. The softer and emotive melodies on “Amulatu” are stunning too and groovy, as the track bursts to life near the end. There’s an urgency to “Stereorrata” that makes it one of the more hard-hitting and almost unsettling moments on the album, with meandering synth leads and effects that make this sound like a soundtrack to a dystopian film. The guitar leads and grooves on “Jara y sedal” are utterly hypnotic and really capture the playful nature of their music. Mohama Saz have created a hypnotic, meandering and electric album with M​á​quina de Guerra, a psychedelic feast of striking, heavy rhythms and just all around hypnotic and beautiful energy.

The album: