New music video from Mars_999

Hailing from Bratislava in Slovakia, Mars_999 is the new solo venture of Juraj Péč, the frontman of Slovak alternative rock outfit Čisté Tvary. Now exploring a new side to his highly original sonic vision, he fuses intimacy with industrial textures, crafting a sound that pulls from the contrasting outputs of Bon Iver Nine Inch Nails.

It’s an unexpected pairing, but one that Juraj makes feel completely natural via a steadfast sonic voice shaped by shadow, steel and solitude. Having only unveiled the project last month with his debut single “Milovat Teba,” Mars_999 has already formed a compelling musical identity. With a full-length album set for release this autumn, the project is already developing into a exciting, genre-blurring world of its own.

Now, he returns with his second offering titled “Ešte Nie Sme Stratení,” translated as “We’re Not Lost Yet,” a track that doubles down on the emotional impact and sonic ambition that’s rapidly becoming his trademark. Written, performed and recorded entirely by Juraj himself, the new single captures a haunting blend of intensity and musical grandeur. Set up by the sweep of gritty instrumental texture, Juraj’s alluring choral vocals ring out as the crunch of a lo-fi guitar riff grinds against industrial-leaning drums, a pulse that feels like it’s clawing out of the dark.

Progressing with the bubble of synth lines and rattle of drums capped by expressive vocals, just as the tension builds, the track bursts open into a dazzling chorus stacked with shimmering analogue synths and vocals soaked in atmospheric aesthetic. It’s a forward thinking post punk voyage colliding with cinematic pop, a tightrope between catharsis and collapse wrapped up in an unforgettable soundscape packed full of twists and turns.

Produced at the revered Faust Studio in Prague by Rohin Brown and mastered by renowned UK engineer Matt Colton, known for his work with Thom Yorke, James Blake and Bon Iver, the production delivers immersive quality throughout. While the song holds nothing back, its visual counterpart is just as gripping, offering a visual experience of warped pop-art fever dream, a glitchy, hypnotic collage created by fusing AI video tools with real photography.

Directed and conceptualised by Juraj himself, the piece transforms a series of portraits by Slovak photographer Micha Líner into a surreal Warhol-inspired loop, offering something that feels at once nostalgic and futuristic. With his highly anticipated debut solo record on the horizon, Mars_999 continues to go from strength to strength on his thrilling new artistic chapter and we can’t wait to see what he’s got in store next.

Commenting on the single, he shares, “There was a time I really thought I’d never come back to music,” says Péč. “This song pulled me out. It reminded me there’s still something to say. Something to feel. That we’re not lost yet.”

Watch the music video for Ešte Nie Sme Stratení below

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