With “So Arbitrary,” Kadjavsi close out their newest album Above Albatross on a note of quiet devastation and breathtaking beauty. The Bucharest-based project, spearheaded by singer-songwriter Nikita Dembinski, has always shown a knack for weaving introspection into atmospheric arrangements, but this track stands out as their most emotionally layered and sonically arresting work yet.

Collaborating with Romanian musician and producer Marius Leftarache at Avanpost Studios, Kadjavsi taps into a literal dreamlike soundscape that feels suspended between eras. The influences are unmistakable with the spectral melancholy of Radiohead, the fragile electronic intimacy of James Blake, and that lyrically poetic feeling of Fontaines D.C. Yet, “So Arbitrary” never feels derivative in the slightest! Instead, it becomes something uniquely theirs like a track steeped in emotional, wrapped in textures that’ll certainly have you grooving along.

Everything about the song feels meticulously crafted yet deeply human. The instrumentation is stunning with subtle drums that pulse like a heartbeat, guitars that shimmer and drift like distant light, and layers of atmospheric sound that evoke a real haziness. At nearly four and a half minutes, the track unfolds slowly, as if inviting listeners to lean in and reflect alongside it. The last half picked up in a way that made us start it from the beginning again just to experience it once more.

Dembinski’s vocal performance is extraordinary. There are certainly shades of Thom Yorke in his tone with that haunting, airy timbre. But, he also brings something distinc with a warmth and earnestness that ground the song in his own experience.

Lyrically, “So Arbitrary” stands among Kadjavsi’s strongest work. It reads like a reflective monologue, equal parts poetic and confessional, urging the listener to reckon with the unpredictable texture of life. It’s introspective without being self-indulgent, striking that balance that feels both personal and universal to all who are going to enjoy it.

This is absolutely where Kadjavsi shine the brightest in crafting songs that seem to expand beyond their runtime, leaving resonance long after the final note decays. “So Arbitrary” encapsulates the band’s artistic evolution from their 2022 debut to the current lineup featuring Laura Benedek on bass, Lucas Contreras and Luca Calaras on guitars, and Horia Stanciu on drums. Together, they conjure a sound that transcends genre in our opinion.

Closing Above Albatross with this track is a masterstroke. Honestly, we recommend listening to the full record so that you can end on this highlight. We feel like this is a band with so much left to prove and so many ideas that are most likely in the works. For now though, give it all a listen and make sure to follow along for more by clicking those links below.

Listen to “So Arbitrary”

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Kadjavsi finds beauty in the uncertain on “So Arbitrary”