Bratislava-based artist motko describes his music as “movies for your ears.” His debut album, home, lives up to that description. The record has nine songs and runs for 41 minutes. It moves between heavy alternative rock, post-rock and darkwave. Some parts are loud and tense, whereas others are quiet enough to feel suspended.
At its centre is a simple question: what makes a place feel like home? The album looks at distance, change, and the difficult process of returning to yourself.
Finding a sound of his own
Before starting his solo project motko, Shorty played in Millhouse, Symbiosis and IONS. That experience shows in the controlled build of the songs, though the music still keeps a raw edge. “wake up” opens the record and sets its reflective mood. At under three minutes, it acts as a short entrance into motko’s world. “ready when you are” follows with more weight. The longer “birds were telling us all the time” gives the music space to grow. The guitars slowly become heavier, while the drums add tension underneath.
motko doesn’t force the songs towards quick hooks, but allows ideas to develop at their own pace. The vocals often feel close, even when the music around them becomes dense. This contrast gives the album much of its emotional pull.
“liberation” brings more movement, but freedom never sounds easy here. Leaving can feel necessary. It can also leave you unsure of where you belong. As the album continues, home starts to feel less like a physical place, and becomes a sense of comfort within yourself.
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Facing uncomfortable thoughts
“old” explores the fear of losing your openness as you grow older. With brooding guitars and textured drums, the track kind of dark and slow. Its real fear is emotional stagnation. It asks what happens when a person becomes bitter, closed off and convinced that they already know everything.
“love,” my personal favorite song of this album, turns the focus towards self-worth. The song was born during meditation and begins with a Hindu drone. Sliding bass and acoustic guitar soon enter. The sound then grows into high-gain riffs and fiercer vocals. The peaceful opening gives way to anger and frustration.
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At the centre of the song is one direct question: do you love yourself? motko doesn’t rush to answer it quickly, but sits with the discomfort behind it.
The nine songs connect through their repeated shifts between calm and distortion. Each one feels like another part of the same journey. The accompanying zine gives listeners more context for the project. motko’s official website also shares the story behind the album.
home is a thoughtful debut about leaving, changing and finding a way back. Its strongest moments come when motko stops searching for a neat answer and simply faces the questions that remain.
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