Shazalakazoo is an electronic music duet from Belgrade (Serbia) that has been active since 1998. They combine authentic music from their area (The Balkans) with electronic rhythms, big fat basslines and synthesized sounds, creating a whole new aesthetics of unique balkan-electro dance club music - THE FOLKSTEP. Their style has been recognized by different kinds of audience throughout the world - from world music fans to late-night disco club crowds. They threw more than a hundred gigs at various festivals and venues in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Austria, Hungary, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Belgium and The Netherlands in the past few years. Basic Shazalakazoo performance is approximately 2 hours long electronic live act consisting exclusively of their original music production. They perform the worldtronic orientated DJ-sets as well, mixing Balkan electronic music with electronic music of other areas as Angola (Kuduro), Brazil (Baile Funk), Columbia (Nueva Cumbia) or India (Bhangra).
Shazalakazoo has released one album, Speaking Balkanian (January 2010). Shazalakazoo tracks and remixes has been released on various albums and compilations: Watcha Clan`s Diaspora Remixed (Piranha Records, Germany), Balkan Grooves (Eastblok Music, Germany), Dunkelbunt`s Kebab Connection Remixes (Poets Club Records, Germany), Belgrade Coffeeshop 2 & 4 (Belgrade, Serbia), Mute Magazine (Fallout Records, UK), Bombardiranje New Yorka (Listen Loudest Records, Croatia) an Media Mediterranea Compilations (Metamedia, Croatia).
SHAZALAKAZOO ARE:
MILAN DJURIC (live: computer, midi-clarinet, midi-controller, vocal; in studio: programming, vocals, midi-clarinet, woodwinds, keyboards, guitars)
&
UROS PETKOVIC (live: computer, electric violin, turntables; in studio: programming, scratching, keyboards, guitars, violin).
What is Folkstep?
The richness and diversity of cultural heritage in the Balkans are indisputable. The peninsula has been crisscrossed with ancient and modern trade and military routes, allowing for the possibility of cultural exchange between East and West, North and South alike. The region is teeming with influences of various origin intertwined with strong autochthonous traditions going back to immemorial time.
The music of the Balkans is eclectic. Ancient and distinctive melodies were originally played with native instruments, such as primitive woodwinds, reed and clay instruments or percussion. In early medieval times, string instruments, such as lutes and stringed gusle came from Persia through Arab, Turkic and Byzantine worlds. Old musical scales remained almost intact, only the sound altered. With industrial age in the nineteenth century, European instruments - fiddle, clarinet and accordion - came to the Balkans from the northwest. The twentieth century continued this innovative trend with saxophone, which was followed by synthesizers and various kinds of electronic instruments in its second half. Finally, we have computer-programmed folk music, which often uses the very same ancient melodic scales once played in the murky depths of history.
Our Folkstep is fully computerised music, with the prevailing electronic rhythm and bass line patterns. This basic rhythm structure is overlaid with either folk samples or folklore-inspired themes played using MIDI controllers. These rhythms, harmonies and melodies are a unique blend. Their origins lie in various South Slavic, Gypsy, Vlach, Greek, Romanian and Albanian streaks, or in cultures having substantial influence in the region - Persian, in the Arab world, Turkophone and Francophone worlds, German and Italian-speaking cultures, and finally in Anglo-American global culture which, among other things, brings echoes of cultures distant to the Balkans.
The intention of the Folkstep is simple: it is not meant to be art; it is simple entertainment like the music of its countless predecessors - an important pastime, faithfully accompanying the inhabitants of the Balkan peninsula throughout its turbulent history, in good or bad times alike. This music only kept changing its outer shell, embracing the ongoing evolution of popular instruments, harmonic and rhythmical influences of any current era. Its essence, however, remained the same: less talking, more dancing, and tomorrow is a new day. Some other influence, some other form to embrace. So let's dance!
You can also check out their Soundcloud page here
ShazaLaKazoo
The album will be available on Itunes, Juno, Amazon, and loads of other places where good music is bought on the intertubes..
