Jordi Rovira is Maiki, a Spanish musician who has been plying his trade for several years now. His expertise seems to be in the electronica field but with an idiosyncratic twist; frequently using the lyrics and melodies of his favourite musicians (among them Depeche Mode and Tricky) and then subverting them for his own ends. Using the evidence of ‘The Stalker’, it’s a pleasantly surprising and worthwhile exercise.
Primitive beats and weird synth melodies provide the backdrop for ‘There Will Be Blood’, one of only two tracks on the album credited solely to Rovira. He bravely covers two great songs; whilst his minimalist take on ‘Life’s What You Make It’ certainly beats No Doubt’s horrible version of the Talk Talk classic, it is with Robert Wyatt’s digitally-updated ‘Free Will And Testament’ that he really impresses, not least with his own frail, emotive vocals. Elsewhere the poetry of E. E. Cummings provides the inspiration for ‘The Boys I Mean Are Not Refined’, a quirky but rather catchy number that reminded me of the inventive Teutonic melodies of Tarwater. However, I can’t helping thinking P.J. Harvey might be slightly confused but probably quite pleased with the dark, meandering instrumental ‘A Home Called Place’.
Rovira may take his cues from other artists but he adds his own stamp to each of the tracks here; twisting the layout of the original music and words so they sound – at best – like a completely new song or – at worst – at least respectful to the artists who influenced him. This eccentric work can also be heard for free from the Secta Records website.
Web Sites:
Maiki’s Official Site
Secta Records
Maiki MySpace
Further Listening:
Tarwater, Robert Wyatt, Depeche Mode, Talk Talk
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