SKU: 93814839241

Marci - Marci

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Description

Marci - MarciA great pop record is like a great friend: an intimate confidante, a shoulder to cry on, and a partner in crime when you're ready to get dolled up and dance the pain away under the disco ball (or in front of your bedroom mirror.) That's what you'll find on MARCI, the solo debut from Marta Cikojevic of Montreal soft rock group TOPS, who steps out on her own in self assured style with a guileless collection of synth pop songs that brim with unabashed

A great pop record is like a great friend: an intimate confidante, a shoulder to cry on, and a partner in crime when you're ready to get dolled up and dance the pain away under the disco ball (or in front of your bedroom mirror.) That's what you'll find on MARCI, the solo debut from Marta Cikojevic of Montreal soft-rock group TOPS, who steps out on her own in self-assured style with a guileless collection of synth pop songs that brim with unabashed sincerity. The confidence of this debut belies the fact that Cikojevic has never formally written songs before, though she's been a student of melody since her childhood in rural Ontario, when she would sing along to the radio pop divas du jour, perform in the church choir, and participate in piano recitals. The middle child of five sisters, Cikojevic describes herself as a shy singer at home, who would instead seek out secret spots-the forest behind her home or a broken down van on their property were favorites-to practice her singing and record the songs she would make up herself into a handheld recorder. She was encouraged to do so by her grandfather, a refugee from the former Yugoslavia, who would sing and record both original songs and traditional Croatian folk songs on a cassette dictation machine-she still has some of the tapes they made together. Eventually she would make her way to Toronto where she played in several groups before joining TOPS as a keyboardist in 2017 and moving to Montreal. When she decided to make a solo record, it was a given that she'd work with her TOPS bandmate David Carriere, describing him as "a great pop writer" who shared her vision for what she wanted to achieve with her music. Carrierre and Cikojevic approached MARCI with the idea that they wanted to craft hits-songs that were catchy and danceable while still being emotionally honest and down-to-earth. The record was put together over the course of a year in a Montreal apartment reminiscent of a 1993 pawnshop, full of synthesizers and obscure instruments dating back to the 1980s. The songs were written on Rhodes and bass and then fleshed out with harmonies, guitars, samplers, and FM and analogue synthesizers-and a little help from their friends. Rounding out the band on MARCI are Mitch Davis, Rene Wilson, and Austin Tufts (Braids) on drums, and Chloé Soldevila (Anemone), Adam Byczkowski (Better Person), and Jane Penny (TOPS) on backing vocals. MARCI kicks off with the luxuriant "All Of Your Love," setting the stage with inviting washes of synth that feel like silk on the ears. It then flows right into "Immaterial Girl," the first bonafide banger on a record packed with them, and a song that cheekily disavows obsession with the superficial trappings of success-Marci only wants real things, please. "I bet all my love on feeling better," Cikojevic declares over a funky riff from her trusty Rhodes piano, the warmly familiar sound of which is a driving force all over MARCI. Like a lot of classic pop, much of MARCI is focused on the ups and downs of love. "Entertainment" is a straightforward song about the cat and mouse game of lust that uses an irresistibly '80s-tinged mix of synth arpeggios and smooth saxophone runs to emphasize the song's inherent sense of friskiness. "Do you get off on my type?/ Maybe it's the saxophone," she sings playfully. Cikojevic's velvety vocals are a focal point throughout the record, a compassionate companion whether she's having a laugh or relating tough truths sympathetically as on the minimal "Pass Time," a song about "getting stuck in repeating cycles and figuring out how to get out of them." Yet Cikojevic is always finding light in the darkness. On the sparkling "Play By Play," she zeroes in on the magical moment when a new person enters your life and washes away your post-break-up blues, her voice as bright as the emotions she's relating. "I wanted to make people happy. I wanted to make people feel like they could dance even when there was negativity," Cikojevic says. With a plethora of cool sounds at their disposal, including a rare 1970s Roland System 100 and Korg Poly-61, the songs comprising MARCI are thoughtfully arranged, with plenty of space allowing each element to shine independently. Sonically, the songs hover in the nebulous galaxy between analog and digital, often both in one song ("Immaterial Girl" has both synthesized and analog bass on it). The result is music that sounds warm and vintage, touching on musical hallmarks of hit songs of the past, but also sharply futuristic. Ultimately MARCI is about finding catharsis in all it's forms, whether it be through a crying session behind closed doors or the euphoria that hits when you hear your favorite song on the radio."Baby I would die/ Before I tell a lie," Cikojevic sings on lush closing track "BB I Would Die," a genuine promise from an artist who has delivered a musical statement so passionate and purifying that it just might make you want to text your own BFF some love at 4am after a night on the town.

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SKU: 93814839241

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4.5 ★★★★★
Based on 8 reviews
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Verified Purchase
Ashley Morgan
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 5
ABSOLUTELY A MUST for Omegaverse Girls!!!
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Jillian West and her books!!! I’m so happy I already bought book two and now I have to buy the others for the Assurance Security series!! Not gonna lie Val kind of annoyed me at the beginning but she grew on me!! Her men are chef’s kisses!!! Holt annoys me some but I can let it slide. I already bought part two so I’m going to be reading that in between work phone calls!!!! DON’T TELL MY BOSS 😂😂😂😂
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Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2025
C
Verified Purchase
Carmen Alicea
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 4
Baby bumps and bodyguards
Format: Kindle
Dark, emotional, and unexpectedly tender, Not Ready is an omegaverse romance that delivers found family feels, fierce protectiveness, and a very pregnant heroine who refuses to break. Vale’s on the run from a stalker, but lands in the arms of three private security alphas, cue the swoony tension, fake marriage twist, and slow-burn heat. It’s a little gritty, a little soft, and a whole lot addictive. If you love protective alphas, high stakes, and heroines with quiet strength, this one’s a must-read.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2025
S
Verified Purchase
Shianne Whipple
Chelsea, US
★★★★★ 5
Strong Omegaverse Comfort and a Attention Grabbing Plot
Format: Kindle
Jillian West never misses when it comes to Omegaverse, and Not Ready is no exception. This story was the perfect blend of cozy comfort and emotional depth while still delivering a strong plot. Vale is such a powerful heroine, she is strong, capable, and determined but I love that she still allows her pack to love and take care of her. It’s that balance of independence and vulnerability that makes her so relatable. The relationship dynamics were amazing: Bishop is steadfast and completely head over heels, Mercy is skeptical but protective in his own way, and Holt is the hesitant one whose slow fall is so satisfying to watch unfold. The romance hits that sweet spot between insta-love and cautious build, keeping me hooked the entire way through. And that ending. Oh my god, the cliffhanger! I need the next book in this duet immediately.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2025
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NLB
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
Interesting
Format: Kindle
So I will say I enjoyed the story, for sure had its moments where it dragged but it was a great story. I really liked that omegas picked their alphas/make the pack. Normally the Alphas make it and the omega fits in with them which is great but I enjoyed this new version where all the power basically went to the omega. It was a nice change of pace. I can admit some of the weird bedroom stuff with her being pregnant was odd, it’s really not hard to do stuff when pregnant (I know I’ve had two and it’s normal and even encouraged at the end especially if you want the baby out). But I like the story as a whole and will read the second, I do hope the next one isn’t dragged bc it stopped being action or tense after she met her alphas and I don’t think it was brought up or properly done when they tried to do it. More sweet after she left.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2024
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Verified Purchase
Altairjones
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 3
I’m a little disappointed.
Format: Kindle
I usually like Jillian West’s books but this one was missing a lot for me. The pregnancy didn’t come across as real. She’s on her feet for 12 hour days but is perfectly healthy at 8 months pregnant? Yet the week she moves in all of a sudden she’s not? She is planning on actually running during one of the plot buildups. But at 8 months pregnant that’s incredibly hard to do. The lack of breathing ability and lung space, the change in body center, mass, and gravity. All of it prohibits running, unless you’re an athlete this didn’t come off as at all realistic. I didn’t feel any connection with the alphas. There wasn’t any emotional connection. It could be because of the tense it was written in. But I didn’t get any deep feelings out of this. It came across as checking off boxes. Even the spicy scenes weren’t really believable for me. I wanted to see them fall for her, and it just kind of all fizzled. Even Bishop. One thing I did really like was the ending. I did not see it coming and I’m interested in reading book two because of it. But on the whole this book was mostly disappointing for me.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2024

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