Thisnis

“With the saxophone, accordion and drums instrumentation, one is tempted to pigeonhole the band as a village pub combo, if not a funeral marching band. Actually, the members of the Thisnis trio first met in a formation named Funeral Marching Band. However, an attempt to derive an analogy based on that circumstance would be off target. Thisnis are devoted to topnotch alternative music rendered quite distinctively by means of free interpretation and metagenre variation principles. The added value is delivered in the form of unique singing by saxophonist Miroslav Tóth. Nevertheless, do not expect some sort of intellectual experimentation. Thisnis music is wild, passionate as well as playful, best suited to the aficionados of Karlheinz Stockhausen, Frank Zappa, even the uninhibited Morphine. This Hungarian-Slovak group consists of Miroslav Tóth, Ádám Móser and Áron Porteleki. Each one of them is a multi-instrumentalist, which gives the trio its uniquely rich sound. An inseparable part of their concerts are also the video projections and other visual art created by the Hungarian fine artist Czaba Kis Róka, who is also responsible for the cover of the band’s only album, Variationes Calvariae Locus, released by the free-minded Czech label Meteorismo (Federsla, The Mond or The Pololáníks). The Czech His Voice magazine wrote about the album: “In this recording it is pleasant to follow the natural blend of all the currently used techniques for playing classical instruments, the mentality of a nervy TV viewer flicking from channel to channel, and the formal thought processes developed over the centuries in European music as well as in the entire history of jazz. The resulting effect on a listener should be nothing less than sheer joy at the availability of such a rich artistic experience.” At times, Thisnis concerts are regarded as emotionally unpalatable. Such a claim may hold some water, However, it is far too harsh – bands like Thisnis simply require greater concentration and mental application than most mainstream music. Thisnis rewards the keen listener with an array of extraordinarily imaginative tones, emotions and colours. The more their music defies familiarity, the more exciting and alluring it gets. Such an adventure does not come for free, but it leaves the listener positively impacted.”