ARRESTING, CHALLENGING, MESMERIC AND GRANDIOSE
MARIO BATKOVIC: COMPOSER, ACCORDIONIST AND MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST SHARES MELODIOUS BAROQUE-INSPIRED
“MUNDUS“
NEW ALBUM I I ARRIVES ON INVADA DECEMBER 11TH
Invada Records recently announced a new solo album from the Bern-based composer, accordionist and multi-instrumentalist Mario Batkovic, arriving on December 11th.
At the core of his work, which resists easy definition, lies a radical exploration of the sonic, rhythmic and mechanical possibilities of his instrument, the accordion. Throughout his career, Mario has successfully redefined what people thought was possible with this instrument and performed entirely original music on major stages in a way which had not been done before. His pioneering work has led to a reevaluation of this kind of solo exploration, in which man and instrument merge into one.
Over a decade after his first solo album, I I is a more immediate and more radical approach to his exploratory practice. This is exemplified in the album opener and new track “MUNDUS” which we share today.
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “MUNDUS” BELOW
About the track, Mario comments;
“The Latin word MUNDUS has several meanings. It can mean world, universe or cosmos, but also world order and humanity. As an adjective, mundus can also mean clean, pure, well-kept or elegant. It can also refer to decoration and ornament.
While playing, I became fascinated by a technique I knew from Baroque music, but also from electronic music, particularly sequencing. I tried to transfer this technique to my instrument and experimented with a small melody. Little by little, ‘MUNDUS’ took shape, a piece that, like almost all my compositions, deals with destruction and creation.
This is exactly the theme I explored together with director and cameraman Yves Marchon in the music video.
It was definitely not easy to destroy an accordion with an axe. It is a valuable instrument, made by hand with great care and love. The destruction was not just for the camera. There was something frightening about it, but also something creative. And it hurt.
The idea was to reveal something essential to the instrument: the tiny metal reed plate, the heart of every note. For me, this tiny piece is also something acoustically enormous, capable of producing incredible, monumental sounds.
So I had to destroy something in order to create something new. And that is exactly what I do with my music. I have great respect and enthusiasm for the past and its traditions, but I am not afraid to question or even destroy what already exists in order to create something new.”
Photo credit: Rob Lewis
His acclaimed self-titled solo debut, MARIO BATKOVIC, brought his symphonic vision to audiences worldwide. INTROSPECTIO opened that world up further, to collaborations and previously unexplored sonic territory. With I I he takes things further still…
“My understanding of notes, sound and music could easily have led me to other instruments. Of course, the accordion is a fantastic instrument, with so many sounds that still haven’t got the attention it deserves, but in the end, we are all in service of the music. It doesn’t really matter which instruments or media we use.” says Mario. “The problem of the accordion is the constant search for recognition, the fight against cliches and pigeonholing, and the desire to be treated as an equal instrument.”
It has been over a decade since his first solo album and the new album almost never came into existence at all. “For a long time, I didn’t want to make another album, because I felt the first one was a completed musical thesis. But after so many years, I wanted to discover more, to go deeper. At some point, I thought: the first album cannot be the end. From this idea, destruction and creation became a major theme. I know that this world of sound can sometimes be demanding for the listener, so I try to fill it with tension and with my own excitement for new sounds and new worlds.”
I I is many things all at once; arresting, challenging, mesmeric, and grandiose.
MARIO BATKOVIC I I album cover
Mario Batkovic’s work spans uncompromising solo performance, electronic music, film and video game scores, and compositions for symphony orchestra and choir – all driven by sonic curiosity, physical intensity, and a relentless push against the perceived limitations of the instrument.
Mario Batkovic recently released the score for Shame and Money, directed by Visar Morina and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2026, where it won the Grand Jury Prize in the international competition. Find out more here.
PRAISE FOR MARIO BATKOVIC’S PREVIOUS WORK:
“a stunning marvel of see-sawing melodies and warm wheezes.”
ROLLING STONE, BEST AVANT ALBUMS OF 2017
“it’s safe to say an album such as this doesn’t come along very often.”
CLASH
“Swiss lightning-conductor drags humble accordion screaming into futurity.”
MOJO
“Mario Batkovic reminds me of why I fell in love with music in the first place.”
LOUDER THAN WAR