'Belgrade's Burning Vol. 1'

Various Artists

Label - Cosmic Sounds London

A taste of Belgrade's 2000 Jazzy, Groovy, Funky, Trippy Club Scene.

From record label:
ALEXANDER SOPCHEK - DESTINY DAWN (Alexander Sopchek) 2000 
This is spacey mix of Sopchek's track from forthcoming album 'Masks' dedicated to African rhythms. Fascinating combination of different styles predominated with African spirit. Although very fresh and original in approach he sucesfuly preserved original roots. Dance floor killer.

ALL IN ONE - SERBANTU (Darko Filipovic) 2000. Young and talented multi instrumentalist, programmer and producer from Belgrade is an expert in House and Electro /ambient /dance music. That is not really my cup of tea but I spent some time with him discussing music. Just few days after that he came to me with this track asking 'Is this what you want?' and I loooved it. It's a killer dance tune. Extremely intelligently combined African Bantu chanting with traditional Serbian folk, wrapped into solid Funk. Winning combination.

COXLESS PAIR - JIVE SAMBA (N. Adderley / Coxless Pair) club mix 2000 
You've heard many versions but none like this. This is another prove that Jazz standards could be done in a modern club styles and to preserve the original freshness.

MENSON BENSON SEXTET - FAVOURITE TONGUES (No Time mix) 
(R. Rogers / Dusan Petrovic) 2000 
Most original approach. As you can hear them saying: We just love Coltrane, we just love to dance, we just love to do something to combine it and we don't like it cheesy. Solid. 
DJ CHILE - RUNNING FAST (Zeljko Kerleta) 2000. Probably one of the best Belgrade's DJs moved into production and here is his club remix of Running Fast. It is more funky then original and grooves all the way throu. Nice touch with vocals. Ethno feeling is still there, it is just more danceable. 
TEGET - TONIC (Teget) I don't think I can label this track but for sure it's got some Jazz in it. It is so rounded and nicely produced although recorded in Dusan's bathroom. It is solid and groovie but very smooth at the same time. It is danceable but ambiental as well. Sounds so simple but it's complex. I can't say it's catchy but it stays in your mind. Well done guys.

LINEAR DRAFT - RECYCLE (LD) They were recommended to me by a friend who knew that I wasn't really into house and electro/dance/ambient what LD are doing. Checking their material I got hooked to this track for some, should I say, Jazzy feeling in it. Smooth and catchy sax is a winner.

ALEXANDER SOPCHEK- NEW DELHI (ARABESCA) (Sopchek) 1987 
Alexander spent a lot of time travelling around the world. Inspiration guttered from these trips resulted in album "Between New Delhi and New York" recorded in 1988. Album was never released but here is the chance to here this fascinating ambient track 'New Delhi' inspired by Indian sounds (much earlier than similar sounds became trendy in London).

MISHKO PLAVI - DEFRAGMENTATION (Mishko Plavi) Mishko is a big Pop/Rock star from Belgrade, owner of many gold records. Digging throu his unreleased material I stumbled on this smooth Jazzy track. Mellow Jazz mood dominates but in a second part develops into solid groove.

ZELJKO KERLETA - IT WAS SO NICE OVERTHERE (Z. Kerleta) 2000 
Zeljko's dedication to exotic holiday this time reused to revoke nice time spent in Belgrade. More solid than original and with additional vocals."

"The Serbian city may no longer be literally burning, but the eclectic strains of modern jazz, tribal folk and future funk compiled here by local DJ and producer Zeljko Kerleta suggest that Belgrade is, metaphorically speaking, on fire. Necessary or evil? Turns out that Kerleta is Belgrade's very own Gilles Peterson, meaning that the vibes are distinctly late-night and seriously down-tempo. Coxless Pair's excitable 'Jive Samba' and 'Destiny Dawn' by veteran beatnik Alexander Sopchek enliven the smooth jazziness." (7/10)
New Musical Express NME

"Two from the independent Cosmic Sounds label ran by jazz enthusiast Zeljko Kerleta from Belgrade. Field trips led him to discover all these artists feverishly working outside the main stream and lacking an outlet for their productivity-until now. The vibe is an amalgam of inspirations, be it jazz, African. local folk, electro and dance. Alexander Sopchek's 'Destiny Dawn' is the first track from the compilation and his own long player 'Masks'. It's his personal homage to Africa, inspired by Pigmy melodies and the tribal rituals of Kenyan tribes resulting in spacey trip hop colours with roots planted firmly in the Motherland's soil. Menson Benson Sextet's Favourite Things indulges in one of the most unique takes on an all time classic, brilliant in it's originality - today's rhythm and yesterday's melody. Ambient drum and bass sophistication as one on 'Linear Draft 'Recycle' proves nothing has escaped the ears of Belgrade's musicians; Zeljko Kerleta pays tribute to them on "It Was So Nice Overthere". Full of Eastern promise."
STRAIGHT NO CHASER magazine

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'Belgrade's Burning Vol. 1'

Various Artists