Artist: Muha
Title: Strela
Genre: Eastern European Contemporary Folk
Release Date: 1st March 2021
Label: self-released
Review Flash
And now for something completely different. Let’s face it, we deserve a break from the earnest hand-wringing of our existential woes. What we all need is a blast of life-affirming otherness, a pick-me-up from somewhere exotic, that feeling of finding something we didn’t know we were looking for. Well - all you good, good people - it is here. ‘Strela’ is the new single by Nottingham-based Eastern European Contemporary Folk band MUHA, and it tells a story of motivation, bravery, faith and joy, based on a Russian folk tale. It bursts gleefully into life with some astonishingly intricate guitar, leaping out at you like an overactive child with something amazing to show you, before settling into a busy, taut urgency that absolutely commands your attention.
The vocals are crisp and spirited, and there’s a cheeky sparkle in the eye of the storyteller. ‘Strela’ is a song fuelled by motion, propelled forwards with an ease and economy that shows a skilful knowledge of the craft, and just when you think it couldn’t get any better there’s a sneaky air-punching “hey” to slap you about the chops and make sure you’re paying attention. But you will be anyway. Because this is fabulous.
Conclusion: You may raise a cynical eyebrow initially, but have faith - once this little bundle of inventive energy and creativity shoots its arrow into your consciousness, you’ll never, ever dislodge it, and you’ll be happy forever that you gave it a home.
Rating: 9 / 10
