Apache Rose – “Cabin Fever” [Song Review]

Russian rock outfit Apache Rose, now based in the Republic of Georgia, recently released a new single/lyric video, “Cabin Fever.”

The project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ilya Novokhatskiy, Apache Rose is presently recording their second album in Sano Studio, Tbilisi, Georgia. After Russia invaded Ukraine, Novokhatskiy decided to leave Russia for Georgia.

Recorded in 2022, while still in Moscow, “Cabin Fever” sees Apache Rose’s sound becoming heavier and more textured.

“Cabin Fever” begins with a low-slung rhythm topped by angular guitars and Novokhatskiy’s dreamy, grainy vocals. Flavoured with the ebb and rise of ‘90s grunge, the tune conjures up hints of Nirvana, only more melodic and less belligerent.

Aggressive percussion, shaded by rumbling, rounded tones, infuses the song with insistent, stormy, hurly-burly, especially in the chorus, where Novokhatskiy’s voice takes on a tight nasality. Prior to the outro, a suspended, psychedelic interlude shifts the harmonic flow to floating surfaces.

The merger of ’90s grunge and alt-rock surfaces bathes “Cabin Fever” in raw edginess juxtaposed against the moody vocals of Ilya Novokhatskiy.

Apache Rose, photo courtesy of Apache Rose

Run Time: 3:50
Release Date: May 10, 2023
Record Label: Independent