TAKLA MAKAN - Mummyfied (CDR 5tr)

Malmö based heavy bluesrockers Takla Makan caught my attention last year when I heard the band’s demo. Sweden does have some really great bands in this genre such as Sky High and the long lost Blues Bag, but most of them are playing it a bit safe in my opinion. What I mean is that they stick to the standard blues formula and lack that rough edge and they stick within the standard formula. What I really like about Takla Makan is that they stick out and they take the side road. Just listen to a track like House Of Pain, a heavy steamrolling track with some really mellow moments where they really use dynamics the way they’re supposed to. It also contains a nice harmony solo with a touch of southern rock. I really like Tomas Luburic’s guitar style. Cool, slinky, heavy and bluesy without sounding like a copy cat. The vocals are another chapter of my liking. Singer Bobby Djordjevic isn’t your standard blues singer either, but reminds me a bit of JB in Grand Magus. Great power in that throat I’d say. Takla Makan also does some cool low tune riffing in songs like Respect, low down and dirty, and where bass player Ulf Hedlund and drummer Stefan “Stiss” Lundvall show their groovy heaviness. When a song is named Romeo And Juliet, you almost expect a sleazy ballad. Nope, here it’s a driving mid-tempo rocker with a cool guitar riff as the icing on the cake. My tip to you labels: Sign this band and get an album out there with more of this stuff! This band rocks!
Janne Stark
Year: 2011
Label: D.I.Y
Country: Sweden
Link: http://www.reverbnation.com/taklamakan