Blu, a recently released album by local band Brodu, came as a welcome surprise in these pandemic-ridden times, spreading like wildfire among the band’s growing enthusiasts. The band’s frontman Mark ‘Iz-Zizza’ Abela speaks to Lara Zammit about Brodu’s music and the particularities of their latest album.

Brodu’s music may be best enjoyed during quiet evenings with friends, in spaces dimly lit with a beer in hand, heads nodding to verses deeply recognisable to a generation of listeners.

With lyrics strung together with refreshing sensitivity, one may think it is impossible to listen to a Brodu album and not be touched by it somehow.  The band, formed by Mark iz-Zizza, il-Fre, Chris Mallia, Samwel Attard and id-Drinu, has become a household name among those who take the time to lend them their ears.

However, the band’s frontman Mark Abela, better known as iz-Zizza, expressed some reserve at the proposition, remarking that not everyone might react to Brodu’s music with the same appreciative measure. 

“Being touched by our music might be true in the case of people in our bubble, but I might say that the majority of Maltese people would find Brodu’s music ‘tal-qrid’ (whiny). I would say that 95 per cent of my workmates (I work with about 60 other people) wouldn’t enjoy Brodu’s music,” claimed Abela. 

Despite some who may find their music somewhat niche and repetitive, those who find value in Brodu’s music would retort that this is rather quite accessible. Ultimately, however, this guarded view on the general appeal of Brodu’s music should come as no surprise – this is music that requires attention, and there isn’t typically much of this to go around. 

The cover of Brodu’s latest album Blu.

Abela had much to say when asked what he values about the music they create as a band. “I love Sam’s mastery of synths, Drinu’s guitar sounds and slides, Fre’s bass lines and Chris’s drumming and fantastic fills, but mostly I love the chemistry between us, mostly on a human level.

“We laugh at stupid things and we enjoy each other’s company. As a band, I think we have a good balance and can do things well, but at the same time we do not take ourselves too seriously.”

With Brodu, it seems that what you see is what you get – a group of friends making music to the incidental enjoyment of those who chance upon them. “Our music is all about feelings and emotion,” said Abela. “It’s just the sharing of our emotions, and that’s what people connect to.”

Testament to the band not taking itself too seriously, Abela went on to suggest that if we want to listen to masterful lyrics in Maltese, then we ought to listen to Brikkuni. “Our lyrics are more basic and naïve, I would say. Brikkuni is poetry.”

The songs in Brodu’s latest album Blu are unencumbered by themes that are too lofty. Rather, they speak of the everyday with striking simplicity, which is nevertheless astute and penetrating. It appears that love may be the running theme reverberating through the album.

“The process by which we make music is as follows: I write the songs on my guitar and write the lyrics, then the arrangement is done as a band and finished with David Vella in the studio. This means that the songs are about my life.

“After my grandma died in 2018, I had what my therapist called an awakening. This led me to experience things I hadn’t experienced before, one of them being love in the romantic sense. I had never been in a relationship in my life, and it happened two years ago. So yes, love is the theme – it’s the meaning of life. It’s the nicest thing in the world.”

From left: Brodu band members il-Fre, Samwel Attard, Mark iz-Zizza, Chris Mallia and id-Drinu.

There is a perceptible optimism in this album, although tempered with instances of pain and darker moods. The songs are relayed with a certain sweetness tinged with an undercurrent of melancholy. The song Kemm hi sabiħa din il-ħajja! is a case in point. In it, life is described as “ponta ġulepp u magħrfa mirra” (a morsel of syrup and a tablespoon of myrrh).

Asked to characterise the general hopefulness of the album against its instances of darkness, Abela explained that he writes songs mainly when he is sad.

“Sadness is important to me. It gives me depth. Having said that, I prefer to be happy all the time without writing another single song, but that won’t happen. In these last three years, in fact, I was quite dry with regards to songwriting because I was happy.

“This album is much less dark and sad than the previous one, Tfejt. In fact, I think Tfejt is a better album. The instances of darkness in this album are much needed. The darkness is where I find myself.

“Kemm hi sabiħa din il-ħajja! is a song in which I express the fear of crashing from being high on happiness. This album is like a photo of an incredibly magical period in my life; it was highlighted by meaningful experiences which I will cherish all my life. I want to thank all the people who were part of it – I love you and miss you a lot.”

Blu was produced and recorded by David Vella at Temple Studios and is available at www.brodu.bandcamp.com/album/blu.