Krstní Otcovia / References
New kids on the block on the Bratislava independent scene! On the first sight, you might think it’s just another typical indie-rock band, however you couldn’t be further from the truth. In their sets they surprise the listener with transitions from rehearsed songs to spontaneous improvisations and deep dives into deconstructive progressive rock reminiscent of bands like Black Midi or Black Country, New Road. Krstní Otcovia (translated as The Godfathers) describe their style as experimental anarcho post noise art mega kraut punk or so called showcasecore. Their debut EP References is out on Vlna Records.
Blame Your Genes / Skins
Blame Your Genes is a leading producer of electronic music on the Slovak scene. In his work, he combines a fiercely danceable house sound with occasional breakbeat passages and analog synths. He has released three successful EPs so far, as well as collaborations with famous names such as Whithe, Vec, Blanch and Autumnist. His fourth EP named Skins is released on translucent vinyl on Well Played Records.
Waterbased / L.gain
Waterbased is a Slovak duo of Julls Mihalyiová and Ľubo Krajňák based in Prague that combines the tenderness and intimacy of humanity with an inner explosion of feelings. The connection has within it an organism of beauty and thorn, which shows the battle of dark impulsiveness. L.gain is the first single from the upcoming debut album Silent Regions. The album will bring lyrics written from a place of unrest. From a place that searches for identity and questions certain features of society. The listener immerses himself in the organism of the confession, where the space is materialized by the sound design of producers Isama Zing and Aid Kid.
Meowlau X Val / Stranger
The drumnbass&pop project Meowlau x Val burst onto the domestic scene thanks to the debut EP Nevermind in February 2022. The first single Stranger from their next record is inspired by the music of the 80s and refers to the series Stranger Things. “Netflix, if you’re reading this, get in touch! Haha,” jokes producer Laura Jašková (Meowlau) and singer Valentina Vlková (Val). The release of the song Stranger was realized thanks to the music publishing house Gergaz and Warner Music Czech Republic.
Tamara Kramar / Bachelor of Science
After several successful singles, Tamara Kramar releases her debut EP, which she named symbolically Bachelor of Science. The young singer began to devote herself more intensively to music in addition to her university studies in England, where in July of this year she became a bachelor of cognitive neuroscience. Tamara Kramar won the Radio_Head Awards Newcomer of the Year award and recently also appeared in New York’s Time Square as one of the ambassadors of the Spotify Equal Global campaign.
Sunnbrella / A Week Or So
The latest single by the London based artist David Žbirka aka Sunnbrella was co-written by his bandmate and vocalist Claire Peng. The melancholic song called A Week Or So is a wistful rumination on the end of a relationship, pairing bittersweet one-liners with tidal waves of nostalgia. Their debut EP Heartworn is due for release in February 2023.
…stefanik / Søren feat. Isama Zing
The audiovisual work ,,Søren” tells a true story about the experiences and coping ability connected to panic attacks. The anxiety associated with panic, which comes suddenly and without warning, accompanied by very unpleasant feelings, can manifest over time as a liberation that gradates into transcendental dimensions. This piece is named after the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. The key term of Kierkegaard’s philosophy is the concept of anxiety. His thought “Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom ” voices this work. Pianist and composer Martin „Majlo“ Štefánik created this audiovisual project named …stefanik. The production and mix of all three songs was covered by composer and music producer Jonatán Pastirčák aka Isama Zing.
Srnka / Čo musíme najskôr?
The dark free jazz band Srnka released a new single called Čo musíme najskôr? (“What should we do first?”) from their recent album. The experimental quartet’s songs were inspired by the legendary TV program for children called Slniečko and its main character Raťafák Plachta. This time, the singer Michaela Hučko Paštéková shot a video clip mostly by herself in the swimming pool of the iconic architecture of the FTVŠ UK Lafranconi swimming pool in Bratislava.
Stratasoul x IamJames Lewis / Stardance
Electronic producer and grafic designer Stratasoul is working on an audiovisual album which will be released as limited series of NFTs. Here are the two previews / singles from the album: Water and Stardance.
URN / DEVEQUT
URN is a solo project of Jakub Volovár, Slovak experimental musician and producer who is currently based in Aarhus, Denmark. DEVEQUT is his third solo album, and his first collaboration with Slovak experimental labelo Weltschmerzen. The album presents a journey through a range of sounds, moods and genres and in the span of only 8 tracks, makes us glance into what goes on in Volovar’s head and heart. Its 8 tracks that neither Bohren and der Club of Gore, Flying Lotus, Erik Honoré, nor Arca would feel ashamed for. Jakub Volovár is also known from his previous bands Dawn To Come and Inheritance.
FVLCRVM / When U Wanna
FVLCRVM’s audio-visual show this summer at the Pohoda festival will be remembered for a long time. This new single was the last track that he played on the biggest stage on Saturday after midnight. At the moment, FVLCRVM, always somewhere on the tipping edge between mainstream & underground, is already working on new tracks, which will be released next year.