Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Fish in Oil: Poluostrvo

Fish in Oil: Poluostrvo

By Nenad Georgievski
August 28, 2012
View read count

With the release of Fish in the Oil's debut, Polustrvo, the jazz underground in Belgrade, Serbia climbs closer towards daylight. This eclectic album explores several forms, all at once, as it eschews the easily identifiable and standard structured sounds. It seems Fish in Oil has opted for a multilayered approach, as it uses different sounds, rhythms, and transmissions. On top of that, and beyond what many other groups have attained, the group performs with abundant energy and plenty of interactions. These musicians have developed a collective spirit.

The opening "Rasprava o komediji" starts with a whistling melody that adds a sense of drama, but soon develops into a soundtrack that might have been composed by singer/composer

Tom Waits

piano and vocals
b.1949

" data-original-title="" title="">Tom Waits. It is spooky, shattered and haunting. with ghostly guitar riffs that go in and out in the background, while a rolling, dark saxophone rides on top. Much of the music owes its inspiration from New York's downtown scene. There is the unmistakable nod towards guitarist

Marc Ribot

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Marc Ribot, as his presence is felt all over the record, but mostly on tracks such as "Zalazak Sunca," "Stereotip," and "Zemljotres." On "Zalazak Sunca," guitarist Branislav Radovanovi? evokes Ribot's twisted and fragile, slow-burn, surf guitar. He possesses a beautiful tone and phrasing that spouts interesting and inconceivably florid guitar passages. In addition, there is a distinct klezmer and blues feel to "Stereotip" that weaves a sense of anger and mourning.

"Zemljotres" also recalls the high-flying vistas of Ribot with its soaring arrangement and iridescent guitar lines. It starts with a blistering interplay between the saxophone and guitar, then turns into a roller coaster of cacophony that resembles the madness of Ribot's

Albert Ayler

saxophone, tenor
1936 - 1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Albert Ayler-inspired band, Shrek. The glowing, seamless guitar playing instantly commands attention and quickly delivers. The beauty of Poluostrvo lies partly in the transition from subtle, deep lines to noisy chasms. But, no matter how experimental the band gets, or strives, the playing remains melodic and logical. Within the rhythm section, there is interesting communication, especially on "Miris Rumelije," where its interplay enhances what goes up front.

Another exceptional track is "Plava zgrada," a slowly driven track much in the manner of composer/saxophonist

John Zorn

saxophone, alto
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">John Zorn's soundtrack, which works with Ribot at the guitar wheel. Saxophonist Du?an Petrovi?, with his gorgeous, present tone, weaves his way through this piece as through other tracks, with an unerring instinct for melody and communication.

Fish in Oil's Polustrvo is a strong debut. On one hand, this is complex music and partially alien from today's more straightforward sounds. On the other hand, its message is simple and direct. A pleasure of this band's music is the feeling that everything might teeter over the edge at any moment.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Rasprava o komediji; Kornja?a; Zalazak sunca; Stereotip; Zemljotres; Misir Rumelije; Rasprava o drami; Monolog; Plava zgrada; So long; Zeleni val; Dolina vekova.

Personnel

Fish in Oil

Du?an Petrovi?: saxophone, flute; Bratislav Radovanovi?: guitar; Branislav Radojkovi?: double bass; Aleksandar Radoji?i? ?ojka: percussion;Tom Fedja Franklin: drums.

Album information

Title: Poluostrvo | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Columbia Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Floating Ice
< Previous

Songs
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.