Slovakia’s indie underground has a new voice breaking through the static, and it belongs to MARS 999. His latest single, V Zákrutách (“In the Curves”), is a hypnotic slow-burn that blends dream pop intimacy, experimental alt-rock textures, and a raw DIY spirit. It’s the kind of track that lingers long after its final note, daring listeners not just to hear it, but to live inside it.
At its core, V Zákrutách is a song about surrendering to life’s chaos. Its refrain — “Don’t brake in the curves” — serves as both a mantra and a dare. MARS 999 uses the metaphor of speeding through curves to capture what it means to embrace uncertainty, to stop playing safe, and to find beauty in unpredictability.
The lyrics, sung entirely in Slovak, don’t need translation to make their impact. There’s an urgency in his delivery that cuts across language barriers, pulling listeners into a universal rush of adrenaline. It’s a song that speaks not only to Slovak audiences but to anyone who has ever leaned into life’s sharp turns rather than resisting them.
V Zákrutách was recorded between Slovakia and Prague with producer Rohin Brown and later mastered by Sarah Register, whose credits include Big Thief and Protomartyr. Together, they crafted a sound that feels both immediate and timeless.
The track’s production leans into lo-fi textures and emotive guitar work, giving it a dreamy but slightly jagged edge. MARS 999’s vocals balance vulnerability and defiance, carrying both softness and grit in a way that feels deeply human. The result is a song that feels equally at home in a dimly lit bedroom as it does pulsing through late-night city streets.
Fans of Bon Iver will hear the raw sincerity, while echoes of mk.gee’s warped pop and John Frusciante’s restless melodic spirit seep through the track’s DNA. Still, MARS 999 never sounds like an imitator. His sound is firmly his own — a cross-cultural, cross-genre exploration that refuses to sit still.
The single arrives with a DIY music video that amplifies the song’s restless energy. Shot with a mix of raw phone footage and stylized detail, the video stitches together neon-lit streets, carnival rides at night, and fan-submitted clips of fleeting, unfiltered moments.
The effect is cinematic without losing its authenticity. It plays like a fever-dream — chaotic, beautiful, and real. Watching it feels like stepping into someone’s memory of summer nights, with all their imperfections and flashes of adrenaline intact.
In an era where indie music often gets polished to the point of sterility, MARS 999 stands out for his willingness to keep things imperfect, textured, and alive. V Zákrutách isn’t just a song — it’s an experience that invites you to stop playing safe and give yourself over to the moment.
For curators, V Zákrutách is a perfect fit for indie, dream pop, experimental, and global underground playlists. For listeners, it’s an anthem for neon nights, sharp turns, and no brakes.
With V Zákrutách, MARS 999 cements himself as a rising artist worth paying attention to. It’s a track that doesn’t just blur lines between genres — it erases them, leaving behind something strikingly authentic and deeply human.
As MARS 999 himself puts it: “V Zákrutách is about giving yourself over to the moment — whether that’s a sharp turn in life or a sweaty neon night in the city. It’s a song for anyone who’s tired of playing safe.”
And that’s exactly why it resonates.
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