New Laconia drops new animated music video

Based in Dnipro, New Laconia is a Ukrainian music project led by the creative figure Alex Syniakov, who takes a wholly cinematic approach to art to shape entire sonic worlds. With its fusion of sci-fi storytelling, intricate arrangements and a deliberate eschewment of conventional band identity, New Laconia creates music where characters, rather than musicians, are the focus. Alex brings together leading writers, producers and instrumentalists while keeping their identities hidden, letting the story-driven world of New Laconia roll out as a self-contained universe.

Drawing inspiration from heavy metal, jazz, pop and rock, the project expands into a wide-reaching artistic vision. Its sound is informed by video games, film soundtracks and the fantasy and science fiction literature that underpin its thematic world. Alec describes it as progressive rock made more accessible, balancing nostalgia for the cultural touchstones of childhood with modern sonic design, resulting in a blend that appeals to both cerebral listeners looking for deeper meaning and casual audiences seeking music that can be danced to.

Since their debut earlier this year, New Laconia has wasted no time in making an impression in the progressive music scene. February saw the release of their first single, “Stardust Bear Bazaar, Pt. 1,” quickly followed by a string of tracks and videos, with each release adding a new piece to a larger story. Now that world takes on vivid new form with the release of the animated video for “Stardust Bear Bazaar, Pt. 1,” providing an exciting entry point into the New Laconia multiverse.

Set in a cosmic tavern existing outside time and space, the story introduces the Bartender Bear and the Engineer, who mix drinks and open portals while a larger detective tale full of paradoxes begins to appear. It’s a visual and musical voyage that perfectly captures New Laconia’s mission statement where each song becomes a scene, every record a season and each video a doorway to another dimension. Guardians of the Galaxy, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Firefly serve as inspirations, but New Laconia reshapes them into its own mythology, offering a playful experience that’s transportive and truly engaging.

Musically, the track crashes into view with a crunching rock arrangement of twanging guitar leads, gritty muted rhythms and punching drums before giving way to an uptempo jazz soundscape. As the voice of the Bartender Bear enters, the tempo drops to form a grooving jam that flows with slick sax leads, graceful accordion tones and sweeping synth zaps capped by spoken word style vocals. As The Engineer takes to the mic, he spins soulful melodic flourishes, adding a flash of pop colour to the song before a dreamy outro brings the song to a close while hinting at the next chapter.

It’s an equally cinematic and interactive experience, encouraging listeners to decide who they are in this expanding world. The Stardust Bear Bazaar is the curtain raiser, but already more destinations are mapped out; Asteroid City, home to secret jam sessions, the Dream Market, where memories are traded and the Desert of Mirrors, a landscape where time fractures and reflects. Already clocking over forty thousand views on the “Stardust Bear Bazaar, Pt. 1” video, New Laconia has clearly struck a chord with their engrossing creative output and we can’t wait to see what they’ve got in store next.

Watch the music video for Stardust Bear Bazaar, Pt. 1 below

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