Above you can see the folk related items
I played in my radioshow before
List of mostly progressive items that might be important / interesting :
From what I heard until now not many items from former Yugoslavia, like many East European items are very strong. Sedmina stands out, Staklenih Perli too, ut there are various other groups worth to trace, like Tako,Yu Grupa,... Most items I heard have some nice tracks, but most of them are in the soft progressive or rock field and needs a few listens. The Progressive items are listed at next page. The folk related items are listed here.
Comments added here by Roman Pavlin and me (indicated by PvhF). More comments will be added soon.
Do you know more interesting releases ? Please E-mail me your comments
* ANASTASIJA: Before the rain (ethnic prog. Rock)
Soundtrack for Macedonian film. Good, but more ethno than folk.
* ANDREJ IFRER: Moj Zulj (Folkrock - Rock)
He lives in my hometown, Kranj. This is his first album and is his best. Some tracks show good potential, but all other albums are more pop oriented. His music is similar to D. Balasevic. Music for large audience, not for those who are looking for something more.
* BEGNAGRAD (Begnagrad, Ta stare) (folkrock)
The album "Konzert for a broken dance" (1982) is a highly recommended album, full of klezmer like live energy, (with balkan influences) full of invention. "Tastare (Theolwones)"(1977-1992) is less inventive.
* BIJELO DUGME dugme was tke leading YU rock group in ex-YU in the period from 1975-1985. The group leader was Goran Bregovic. Some material on their last albums is very folk oriented.
* BILJA KRSTIC : Bistrik (Ethno-Folk) One Records 2000
Female singer of very good 70's folk-rock group Suncokret (I have a version of their only 1977 album, which was never released on CD). I don't know this solo album.
* BRINA & STRINGS : Acoustic album from Slovenia. Contains traditional material, played with new approach.
* BUCO I SRDJAN: Najljepa ru?a / Gdje si ljubavi moja (Folk) 1975
Buco i Srdjan: Tra?im te, trebam te / Petrunjela 1978 : Pop - Folk No further information available.
* DARKO RUNDEK : Ruke (Folk & Folkrock) Metropolis 2002
He was a leader of early 80's group Haustor, which performed interesting new wave music, I don't know any of his solo projects.
(* Cinc : new Serbian acid folk/s/sw group. Review at next page
* DAVORIN POPOVIC & INDEKSI : XXI vijek (Folk - Poprock) Pelex 1995
More pop than rock or folk. Don't buy it. His group Indexi has released two nice prog albums in early 70's style, "Modra rijeka" and "Kameni cvjetovi".
* DJORDJE BALASEVIC :
He is very popular on ex-YU territories, but I don't think he will be of interest for progressive music listeners. His music is not anything special and if you don't understand the words it might be very boring. Be careful.
* DRAGO MLINAREC (Rock, prog. Rock, Folkrock)
The first four albums are excellent. The first is rock, the second has some jazz rock elements, the third and fourth are close to folkrock, played with jazz musicians. Something like YU- Astral Weeks.
- Drago Mlinarec: Krhotine (Rock - Folkrock, compilation, rec. 1971 - 82) :
Good only as an introduction. Albums with long tracks are still not available on CD format.
- Drago Mlinarec: Pjesme s planine (Rock - Folkrock) 1972 :
One of the best YU-rock albums. Some long (10 minutes) songs with Hammond organ as lead instrument.
- Drago Mlinarec: Rodjenje (Rock - Folkrock) 1975
Excellent, long tracks, acoustic and electric instruments. Recommended.
* IBRICA JUSIC : Retrospektiva (Folk, rec. 1968 - 85)
More chanson than folk, with acoustic guitar and some orchestral arrangements. A little bit archaic, you have o understand serbocroatian language to get the meaning.
* KATALENA : Slovenian albums contains traditional material, played with new approach. It contains acoustic and electric instruments.
* KLADIVO : konj in voda (acid folk)
Their only regular album from 1984, "Vidov Ples", is one of the rarest albums from former Yugoslavia. The group with four instrumentalists and female singer is similar to Sedmina, but different. Most of the tracks from the vinyl album is available on CD as OPUS MAGNUM 1979-1983 (1998). Some of 17 tracks on CD came from their early cassette-only issue. Group with the same name released in the 90's another CD album with average electric rock material.
"I checked this item, it's worth to check. It's much more simple than Sedmina, it's not essential, but fine". PvhF
* KLARISA JOVANOVIC (solo)
She recorded an interesting album with Trio Bahur: HASRET (Traditional songs from Bosnia, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey), 2001. It sounds very etno/traditional and is well recorded. Available on CD.
"I have this album now and it indeed is a very fine example of interpreted ethno folk." PvhF
* LEB I SOL: Same & 2 (prog. Rock, rec. 1977 & 78) Taped Pictures
The first album is weak, a lot of "John McLaughlin" tasteless electric guitar. The second album is much better, the group has found his own direction. Jazz rock with Macedonian folk/Eton elements.
- Leb i Sol: Rucni rad & Beskonacno (8) (prog. Rock, rec. 1979 & 81) Taped
Pictures : In similar style, the fourth album goes more in rock direction.
- Leb i Sol: Akusticna trauma (prog. Rock live, rec. 1982) Taped Pictures
Good live album, originally on double LP record.
- Leb i Sol: Devetka (prog. Rock, compilation, rec. 1977 - 81) Taped Pictures
Compilation of material from their first four albums.
* LOLA V. STAIN (with Zlatko Origjanski) - Ikona&Mansarda (Third Ear Music)
rec. 1990&199?: prog.Folk. No information known.
* MELITA OSOJNIK : "former singer from Sedmina. Children Songs podium performances releases she had as well. Nice voice, chanson like." PvhF Now she's working again at a normal album. See Sedmina page for info / links
* MEZE / GALIC :
Two guitarists/vocalists released one album only, IZZA OCI (1983). The record was recorded with guests (ex-Sedmina musicians Lado Jaksa and Matevz Smerkol). The album is not a masterpiece, but it has some fine moments. It is not available on CD.
* PETER MEZE & JANC GALIC : Izza oci (Folkrock) ?
* RANI MRAZ : Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlogu (Folkrock - Poprock, rec. 1979) Taped Pictures.
In fact, D. Balasevic's first solo album. Not essential.
* S VREMENA NA VREME (Folkrock, Rock):
Solid 70's acoustic band from Serbia, but not so inventive like Sedmina. Try the first album, later albums go more to average electric rock (you can hear that on this cassette). "I tried the first album, but was not so convinced. A few all right tracks, but not too special, and too much folk either " PvhF
- S Vremena na Vreme: Same (prog. Folkrock, rec. 1975) One Records
The best record from the group.
- S Vremena na Vreme: Posle kraja (Folkrock, rec. 1995) One Records
- S Vremena na Vreme: Unplugged (Folkrock live) Komuna
I don't know these later records from the group. I guess they performed mostly their old material from the 70's.
* SANDY ORKESTRAR LOPICIC : Border confusion (Network/D) : 2001 Rock-Jazz-Folk Fusion
* SEDMINA : "Pastoral acid folk with nice instrumentation and female / male vocals. I like all their items but the second one is the best starter" PvhF
* SLOVENSKA GRUDA :
Short-lived trio (guitars, mandolin, flute, vocals) release their only album "Pesmi" in 1983. The material is more or less traditional, but is performed with fresh approach. Nice sound of string instruments, well recorded. Not available on CD.
* SUNCOKRET : (soft prog)
"Soft prog pop item with folk influences, and somewhat popular sounding rhythms / melodies. Some of the bonus tracks on this CD "Moje Bube" came from BOOM rock festivals, which were organized in the period from 1972 to 1977 in Ljubljana and other towns. A few other tracks came from singles." PvhF
* SVETLANA MAKAROVIC :
Respected Slovenian writer and poet recorded some nice albums during the 80's. "Nocni Sanson" (1984) is chanson performance accompanied by piano only. "Dadjamski Portreti"(1985) is similar, but recorded with prog/jazzrock group QUATEBRIGA. Their third album "Pelin Zena"(1986) was arranged and produced by
jazz trumpeter Dennis Gonzales. It is her best record. A fusion of chanson, folk and jazz with traces of progressive rock (early King Crimson?). All LP's are now available on CD format.
* TANTADRUJ / TANDRUJ :
Group with two acoustic guitarists (influenced by Jansch/Renbourn/Graham), cello player and vocalist. Most of the songs contains words of famous Slovenian poets from 19th century. They recorded their first album in 1989 (available on LP only; rare). The second album was recorded in early 90's, but not released until 1997 (CD only). The CD, "Strunam" contains some songs from their first album, too."
"I tried this item. Some of it has blues influences, but there are also beautiful psych folk tracks which make it an interesting item." PvhF Tandruj is the new group who still remains in the demo stage because there was no interest from a label yet. I reviewed their recordings and added some pictures and info at next Tantadruj/Tandrujpage
* TOMAZ PENGOV
Singer/songwriter from Ljubljana recorded his first album "Odpotovanja" in 1973. The original mono edition is very rare now. The same record was reissued in 1981 in stereo. Pengov sings and plays 12 string guitar and lute. His music is original, the closest comparison is perhaps early Leonard Cohen. He took himself 8 years (from 1980 to 1988) to record his second album, "Pripovedi". The second album was recorded with guest musicians, the music is still acoustic, but more varied. Later in the 90's, he recorded two more albums, "Rimski Cesta"(1992) and
"Biti Tu"(1995). The first two albums are strongly recommended and are available on CD's.
* VARIOUS ARTISTS: Balkan Zur (Folk - prog. Rock, rec. 1973 - 77)
Backi Medaljoni, Pop Maina, Laza Ristovski & Ipe Ivandic, 7 Mladih, Smak, Suncokret, Neda Ukraden, Vatreni Poljubac, etva 1/2 of the material is very good, but some groups are more pop oriented. The sleeve with nude women is in fact a reproduction from Smak's ""Ulazak u harem" album.
* VARIOUS ARTISTS: Bez struje (accoustic Rock) MTS Records
Babe, B-Ton, Dejan Cukic, Del Arno Bend, Delca i Extazi, Du Du A, Djura i Heroji, Eva Braun, Branka Katic i Trinidad Trip Bend, Kazna za Ui, Laki Pingvini, Milutin i Trinidad Trip Bend, Nesalomivi, Point Blank, Pussy Cat, Rambo Amadeus, Roze Poze, Sirova Koa, Ana Sofrenovic
New groups, I know some of them, some are interesting, but I don't know everything. I think you can miss this one.* Vlatko Stefanovski: Krushevo & Sarajevo (Promo Siemens) rec. 1998? & 93:prog. Folk & prog. Rock,)
* VLATKO STEFANOVSKI : Cowboys & indians (prog. Rock, ex-Leb i Sol, rec. 1993 - 94) Third Ear Music
- Vlatko Stefanovski : Krushevo & Sarajevo (prog. Folk & prog. Rock, rec. 1998? & 93) Promo Siemens
Stefanovski is technically good guitarist, but his solo instrumental projects are boring to me. I have to say that some of my friends don't share my opinion and highly prize especially "Krushevo" project. Studio and live versions exist.
* YU GRUPA (Heavyrock, Rock) 1971-90
The first two albums are excellent, with Balkan folk elements. Some of the best songs were released only on singles, so try to get the compilation "YU zlato", too. Later material is more or less unimaginative hardrock.
Two albums on one CD. Dreamy Macedonian Ethno, interesting.
"I heard "Yu Grupa" and "Yu Zlato". "Yu Grupa"'s first half is hard rock with very fine moments. Second half is nice sweet song based progressive rock." PvhF
Most remarks were not by me (except when indicated by PvhF)
First Playlist (with remarks) radioshow about former Yugoslavia : Folk influences part 1 :
Other pages on former YU Acid Folk:
There's also another index page
which focuses more on Progressive Rock from former Yugoslavia :
(all links for collectors like on line shops,..
are added at the end of that page)
or go back to
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all links updated 2004-11-01
