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Music
for a feature film EVEN PIGS GO TO HEAVEN, 2022
Director: Goran Dukic
Production: Svenk |
69.
Pula film festival -
THE GOLDEN DOORS OF PULA - audience
award
GOLDEN ARENA FOR BEST SUPPORTING MALE
ROLE - Ljubo Zecevic |
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- one of the most
charming Croatian films in the last ten years...The authors do
not even try to hide that it is a tribute to the piglet Babe,
even though Beba the pig is an original, unique character, and
the great music of the Cinkusi band also contributes to the singular
atmosphere of the Hrvatsko Zagorje region. |
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...Spiced up with
emotions, decorated with cutesy animation and dressed as a period
piece, detailed in terms of music and sound design, this film
is certainly a demanding production that manages to keep the local
taste while telling a universally understandable story....while
the soundtrack consisting of jazzed- or rocked-up traditional
songs (and those newly written that sound traditional) by the
band Cinkusi is absolutely fitting. It seems that Even Pigs Go
to Heaven was a meaningful project for all involved and that Dukic,
who can certainly make a cute, feel-good yet extravagant film,
also had a good time directing it. |
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Music
for animated film THE RAFT, 2021
Director: Marko Mestrovic
Production: Kreativni sindikat |
Croatian
Society of Film Critics - award OKTAVIJAN
for the best animated film in 2021
...The Raft is not a story about musicians, but a creation that
expresses, through a moderately dark humour, what is written in
its announcement/accompanying synopsis: "If a global disaster
is a certain mental state, then music is a raft." Of course,
it is uncertain whether, after seeing the film, someone would
say that exact sentence. However, after watching The Raft, it
is easy to agree that it is not, as is often the case, a demagogic
hook that has us read thoughts and meanings into the work that
are not there, but that it truly corresponds to what is presented
by the film. |
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"First
Prize in the Grandtoon category is awarded to Marko Mestrovic’s
film The Raft because of its energy, because of his use of mixed
techniques in a beautiful and meaningful way. The music is so
intertwined with the storytelling that we wanted to eat psychedelic
mushrooms and experience the apocalypse with the help of music.
So let's not drown, let's not float, let's swim rhythmically to
the sound of the raft... because maybe that's exactly what we
want," reads the explanation of the jury, whose members were
Alexis Hunot, Lucija Buzancic and Zarko Ivanov. |
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CD
KRAVA NA OREHU
Croatia records 2017. |
Cinkusi
- a band which blends the medieval figure of Petrica Kerempuh
to the musical anarchism of the New Wave
Cinkuši as a band present for twenty years have been joyfully
and carelessly marking their musical expression from the Kaikavian
traditional songs to immense pages dedicated to punk, including
traditionalism back to music anarchy.They have been following
this choice of words which were self imposed at the beginning
of their career thus showing their position and attitude were
too much valuable not to be avoided.They simply defy definitions
and therefore they are not the easiest topic for writing nor a
rewarding subject to be discussed. They are just here to be listened.
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CINKUSI
‘KRAVA NA OREHU’ (CROATIA RECORDS): An amazing energy album
„Krava na orehu" ('A Cow On A Walnut Tree') is the best
album in their career and the essence of their music shown in
the arrangement, music expression, energy and the choice of traditional
and copyright songs. All together it is awfully devilish, honest
and original. This album has hit top five album charts in 2017
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'A Cow
On A Walnut Tree' - Cinkusi come as a Haustor extension in the
early stage of play with Zagorje-Speaking idioms
For a certain period of time Cinkusi were perceived to be a strange
band on Croatian music scene, even when their debut album „Zeleni
kader" (1999) came out. However, the album „Domesticus Vulgaris",
released in 2005, and „Spiritus Sanctus“ (2009) made them into
one of the most individual bands which efficiently and effectively
combines music elements of the northern regions in Croatia called
Zagorje, Prigorje and Medimurje together with the typical sound
of folk – rock and Celtic – punk, which is well known to people
of Anglo – American territory. |
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Cinkusi
- 'Krava na orehu'
They have always been cool since they have always received high
marks in reviews . Their most prominent trait is their unpredictability
. Cinkuši have the ability to adapt their musical score to the
current situation .
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Cinkusi
'Krava na orehu' /'A Cow On A Walnut Tree' - again under the gallows
Both sound and quality of the album " Krava na orehu "
( 'A Cow On A Walnut Tree' ) continues the great work of Cinkuši
so they remain a unique appearance on the local music scene and
are musicians who together with the famous medieval trobadour
have been postponing its gallows act for nearly two decades. |
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2
CD/DVD CINKUSI - UZIVANCIJA!
Croatia Records 2011. |
Vip.music
Album of the day: Cinkusi - Uzivancija!
grade: 5
All my life, since i've been serching for myself in the mazes
of music as a more active listener, i've been trying to justify
situations in which there is a music that you don't need to write
about. You don't have to explain it, filter it or try to bring
it closer to listeners because it's elusive.
I'm trying to remember if there is a need to write reviews of
albums that are summed up in one word. Whose essence is their
title. Their programme. Their first word. Fullstop. And three
exclamation marks at the end!!!
And every now and then something like that happenes, but as a
rule, very rarely. Rarely than rarely. And then, just like it
happened with the fenomenal «Zeleni Kader» with which they ended
the last century, the first studio album of the same band, the
bell rings yet again. When Cinkusi say «Uzivancija» (Enjoyment)
only fools would not belive them. And this time it's about their
debut. Live. About the double audio CD and a DVD of a koncert
held on May 12th 2010. in Teatar &TD in Zagreb. They were
visualized by proven and reliable video expert Darko Drinovac,
but this is not a concert with a «best of career» point of view
nor a concert that summs up world music tunes from their three
studio albums. It's all about enjoyment. Presence.
Instead of superlatives and hyperbolas about this long term delivery
of this live recording, I'll transfer the impression i caught
at one of theCinkusi concert. I've been to a lot of their pleasurable
concerts with the biggest smile on my face, witnessing their first
barefoot steps on the stage. Therefore, under the nonlaboratory
circumstances in which your sirit is open for different musical
genres and don't mind their their style determination as ethno
or world music freak, there's not a per mille of chance in theory
you wold not be astonished with an incredible ammount of positive
energy, overwhelming enthusiasm, love of playing, enjoyment in
the act of playing itself. Their teathrological tendencies on
stage, that soundtrack of a thetre play in which the characters
are themselves. Something on the trail of "Stop Making Sense"
incorrelation between Byrne's Talking Heads and Jonathan Demme.
Something along the lines of the wildest phaze of Mano Negra and
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. That concert madness when the band
is, after a few beats, soaking wet with sweat and tha main reason
is not a lousy air conditioning. Whan they are accompanying Teta
Liza and when they invite this living legend as theis guest on
their occasional concert.
I was standing near the firs row. Girls and boys on both sides
were watching Mirko, Nebojsa and Natasa as their were coming,
without a lot of positioning. They would nod, look at each other
and then throw everything they got to the audience. And that exchange
that everybody talks about and sells stories about happenes. Cinkusi
have nothing to sell 'cause they give it all away for free. They
give it selflessly. People beside me spontaniously started to
take of their shoes throwing them in the air, the continued dancing
untill the last second, spilled beer, drop of sweat. At the end,
with cruched feet and blisters on them they had that satisfied
smile they couldn't hide inspite of their wounded soles.
When i asked them how it was, they said – Enjoyment.
Don't wait a second. Cinkusi are just that. One of the rarest
and last of the homemade bands with which every moment is just
that – enjoyment. |
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Angelo
Jurkas ,Vip.music, 20.10.2011. |
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Album: Uzivancija!
– Live in Teatar &td – Zagreb 12/05/2010 (Croatia Records
2 CD/DVD)
Grade: ****
Cinkusi finally published an album that can bring closer and
conjure up the atmosphere of their concert for the audience that
has never heard the live. Ethno company from Zagorje, that succesfully
maintaines «kajkavian» native musical (and poetical) statement
and «marries» it with contemporary music influences, even untill
now managed to keep an enviable level of quality with their studio
albums, succeding in, without any mistakes, merging the tradition
and their original contribution.
Just like Gustafi, that merged the traditional Istrian music
with their own original material into a marvelous mixture of boastful
freak-folk in which they interwine the influences od «Triestinian»
song, tex-mex and Manu Chao, Cinkusi succesfully use the products
of this new age and the freak-folk, in their own revisions of
heritage sounds.
“Grad se beli”, the first number on this koncert-album is first
for a reason – it's a represetnative letter of intention and a
marvelous example of «translating» a traditional song into an
explosive piece of punk freak-folk. More than 105 minutes of musical
wild party that this double CD (and a DVD) offers, are an authentical
soundtrack of Cinkusi performance and their best release so far.
Listing all the highlights of this album would be a fruitless
job – not only because there were to many but because this material
of even quality doesn't allow the emphesis of only some highlights.
However, by personal judgment, the extraordinary moments of the
koncert/album wold be the brilliant «Ciganjska» (than united the
music of Cinkusi and the lyrics of Miroslav Krleza), hilarious
“Jankic” with his amazing quote of base line from «Walk on the
wild side», “Navigare necesse est” – with it's Cakavian dialect
of Josko Bozanic form Island Komiza set to music, brilliant ballad
“Kak je Stef videl Majku bozju”, freak-folk tradicional “Huja
brija” and marvelous final song (or song to go) “U divljaka luk
i strijela” that connects the agitprop hymn and country bluegrass. |
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ZLATKO
GALL , Slobodna Dalmacija,17.09.2011. |
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CD
SPIRITUS SANCTUS 2009.
Croatia Records & Croatian
Roots Music
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WINE, ZAGORJE, KRLEZA AND GIBSON
A colorful band singing in a specific kajkavian dialect
from the hills surrounding Zagreb with an album about alcohol
and death
ZAGREB – Wine and music go hand in hand
since the beginning of time. In the case of Cinkusi,
the Croatian answer to the Pogues, there may even be
a code that prevents this colorful band from drinking water.
The odd man out
Though it may not be too healthy, it is difficult to deny that
Cinkusi, with their third album Spiritus Sanctus
running on alcohol fumes, proved themselves to be one of the
most intriguing bands in Croatia. Rock, punk and electric guitar
have been carefully woven into the chants of the Croatian regions
of Prigorje, Zagorje, Medimurje and kajkavian dialect that can,
unfortunately, be heard less and less in Croatia, including
the spirit of Krleza's Balads of Petrica Kepempuh,
tamburitza and violin. If they seemed like “the odd man out”
of the Croatian musical scene until a couple years back, Cinkusi
are now seen as an original Croatian part of the international
folk-punk and folk-rock scene.
Aunt Liza and B.P. on old age
The most well rounded and well produced conceptual album of
the band Cinkusi consists of two types of songs. Those
that you can cheerfully drink to with your mates and those you
drink to sad and alone. The cheerful antirecession song Medo
(Bear), the “fast and furious” Huja Brija and Bela
are potential concert favorites. Dolinom se setala
(She walked through the valley) in this arrangement could also
be a big hit, just like Mala Cici of the band Zadruga.
However, the calmer songs of Cinkusi are even more
impressive.
The first song of the album Bratec kosi with its dark
and ominous violin that announces a possible incest, the sad
Picek (Chicken) and the melancholic instrumental Kak
je Stef videl majku bozju (How Stef saw Mother of God)
are just an introduction into the three wonderful songs that
conclude the album. The unexpected island theme Navigare
Necesse Est is stronger than any song we have recently
heard from Dalmatia. The sorrow of Sedi si kraj mene
(Sit next to me), a beautiful songs about old age with Aunt
Liza and Bosko Petrovic, is as heavy as lead.
Fragrant Pinot Noir
The final song on the album Nenadejano bogcije zvelicenje
continues from a slow start into a frenetic crescendo as Krleza's
verses flow. Although some complaints could be made about the
vocal interpretation of some parts of the songs, Spiritus
Sanctus as an album about alcohol and death tastes like
a fragrant Pinot Noir in comparison to vinegar thanks to an
imaginative blend of folk and rock in this weak scene where
folk has some entirely different connotations.
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Aleksandar Dragas , JUTARNJI LIST
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CONTEMPORARY GUARDIANS OF CROATIAN MUSICAL
TRADITION
When you listen to the lyrics: »Zdigel
je casu. Spustil je nebo. Videl ju je zato kaj ima cisto srce«
(He raised the glass. He lowered the sky. He saw her because his
heart was pure.) from the song Kak je Stef videl Majku Bozju
(How Stef saw the Mother of God) from the third album of the Croatian
world music band Cinkusi, it is clear that this is something
out of the ordinary, something different and definitely something
that the Croatian music scene is still missing.
Even the album's title cannot be avoided, just like the Cinkusi
are unavoidable whenever we speak of world music, contemporary
music merged with and often fully inspired by traditional chants,
melodies ad folklore in general.
We should begin by saying that world music bands in Croatia are
guardians of our historical treasure. Not just music, but also
written word and old customs that are slowly disappearing, because
they can be seen, at least partly, in the traditional songs where
they are preserved.
With their new album Cinkusi have fortified
their position as one of the pole bearers of the Croatian world
music scene that is not particularly rich in performers. However,
since the middle of the 1990's, when this six-member band was
formed, they are unavoidable in every discussion about Croatian
music in general.
After the albums Zeleni kader and Domesticus vulgaris,
with Spiritus Sanctus the band Cinkusi has underlined
their thematic concerns. Once more they have invited the famous
world music diva of Medimurje, 85-year-old Aunt Liza, who sometimes
seems to be able to squeeze tears from a stone with her strong,
suggestive voice. This time Aunt Liza from Donja Dubrava sings
a traditional song Sedi si kraj mene in a modern arrangement
accompanied by skillful playing. Once again she has proved her
brilliance and the lyrics about aging, experience and a good glass
of drink that reflect especially in the refrain: »Ah, toci, naj
dremati, nagni, naj sparati/ ce nebus pil bude ti zal/a zutra
vec morti pod zemljom bus spal« (Pour, don't sleep. Drink, don't
spare it. If you don't drink it, you will be sorry. Maybe tomorrow
you will find yourself under ground.) They convey the silent sorrow,
the sad joy and the awareness about time that passes on the wings
of the rich sound of contrabass combined with the sweet sound
of mandolin and striking electrical guitar, as well as the gentle
sound of vibraphone played by another guest - Bosko Petrovic.
However, the fast and rhythmical song Bratec kosi opens
the album with its part-singing and convincing, harsh lead vocal.
There is no shortage of similar songs on this and their previous
two albums. This is exactly what gives the band Cinkusi
their direction and the reason why their style was named ethno-punk
ever since the early days. That is why you can almost dance pogo
– a wild dance that has been attributed to punk since its beginnings
as one of its major characteristics - to the song Huja Brija
carried by the sound of the violin. However, head-spinning dance
and trance have always been associated with folklore music as
well. That is why Cinkusi have merged two seemingly different
energies and molded it into their recognizable energetic style
that manifests at their concerts.
Since Cinkusi have a very active concert life in all
parts of Croatia, it shouldn't be difficult to catch one of their
shows in your area and witness this fascinating performance. Their
next performance is scheduled for September 8th in Zagreb at Amadeo
urban music and theatre scene at the Museum of arts and crafts
where they have already played earlier this year. On that occasion
their audience fell into an ecstasy, which they would gladly try
to repeat.
However, speaking of Croatian world music, we must mention the
performers who have marked it, especially those who have released
their albums this year. One of the youngest world music bands
in Croatia Afion has released its new album Cudni
svati this year. After numerous concert appearances, they
will perform at the Meditereeaneo festival in Ancona on August
30th. Contrary to Cinkusi, who are entirely dedicated
to traditional Croatian music, especially that of the northern
region of Croatia, Afion is inspired by different sources
ranging from Croatia to Macedonia. Melodious and at the same time
soft voice of Lidija Dokuzovic mostly relies on the acoustic music
of the band whose sound cannot leave you indifferent. Sometimes
it soothes, and sometimes it raises the dead. To clarify the name
of the band, Afion comes from the Macedonian word for poppy which
comes form the Greek word opion.
We mustn’t forget one of the gratest Croatian musicians -Tamara
Obrovac. The title of her album Necu vise jazz kantati
(I will not sing jazz any more) reveals the thought on which Obrovac
and her always fresh Transhistrian build their music.
If Cinkusi are ethno-punk, Obrovac and her band are ethno-jazz.
They rely mostly on the musical traditions of Istria and the Mediterranean.
Their new album, which is a step in a different direction, with
electrical instruments and elements of funk could also be defined
as ethno-jazz-funk.
Their concerts are a must-see, their skill and tendency to improvise
make each of their performances uniquely enjoyable. Because you
never know what they will pull out of their hat and turn music
in to something it should be - a wonderful and enjoyable experience.
Besides that and the remarkable way in which the leader of the
band rules the stage, we must mention the unavoidable humor and
dialogue with audience. As far as we have seen, no member of the
audience is left feeling indifferent after their performance.
Among many albums they have released so far Sve pasiva,
Daleko je and Transhistria are the best, apart
from the one we have already mentioned.
The fact that the Croatian musical web site Muzika didn’t select
a pop, rock or hip-hop performer for the best Croatian album of
last year proves the significance and strength of world music.
They selected the album Kocijane by the world music band
Kries lead by the charismatic Mojmir Novakovic. With
his former band Legen, together with Lidija Bajuk and
Dunja Knebl, an artist of calmer artistic expression and rare
musical beauty, he was one of the founders of world music scene
in Croatia. Legen’s album Paunov ples (Peacock’s
dance) was one of the first and unavoidable world music albums.
As soon as it appeared, it was embraced by some members of the
electronic music scene, even those that liked techno. Their concerts,
just like Kries’s now, were truly memorable. Almost palpable
energy that streams through your fingers and feet twirls around
in a circle just like the traditional circle dance.
However, Kries is becoming recognizable through its use
of electronic music, strong beats, expressive bass drum and specific
men’s and women’s part singing groups deeply imbedded in our folklore
in combination with traditional instruments like lijerica and
cimbalo as well as chants from different parts of Croatia. Apart
from this album they have also composed music for the film Konjanik
(The Rider) by director Branko Ivanda, recorded one of the best
Croatian world music albums Ivo i Mara inspired by the
songs about mythical Slavic heroes.
Although our intention was not to name all the
performers, we have to add another blues performer from Podravina
Miroslav Evačić with two albums and stylistically ever changing
Livio Morosin with his Istrian roots. If we were to search for
the reason why this music isn’t present on our radio and television
stations as much as it should be, we will find it in the fact
that quality music is always obscured by the commercial and undemanding
in every respect, which means hollow, unimaginative and without
any real roots.
World music has that which is the most important – strong roots
that you can lean on. Fortunately for the Croatian culture, there
is no shortage of those who perform it as sure as we have more
than enough musical treasure we inherited from our ancestors.
Therefore, we should take care of it with the help of these guardians
who are able to blow away the dust, polish it and adapt it. This
is why we should give them credit, raise a glass in their honor
and take our hat off to them.
Cinkus means a bell
The world music band Cinkusi has also composed the music
for the award winning animated films Ciganjska and Silencijum
by the authors Davor Medurecan and Marko Mestrovic (the band’s
drum player) based on the literary works of Miroslav Krleza. It
should be mentioned that Cinkusi are often inspired by
the works of this great Croatian writer. Just to clarify the name
of the band - in the kajkavian tradition cinkus means
the bell that follows people from birth till death. |
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Bozidar
Trkulja , VJESNIK |
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AFTER GREAT SEX COMES YET A GREATER
DEATH
Spiritus Sanctus is only the third album of the band
Cinkusi (Bells) in more than ten years of the
band's existence, but here, luckily, it stands that quantity is
reversely proportional to quality. Namely, Spiritus Sanctus
does not at all fall behind the debut Zeleni Kader
(Green Cadre) from 1999 or the fantastic Domesticus
Vulgaris from 2005.
The new album presents us the Cinkusi on their already
familiar territory, which are traditional Croatian (mostly kajkavian)
melodies and descants combined with some modern (rock) elements
and arrangements, but the final product is again a hit in the
bull's eye. The Cinkusi do not see modern and traditional
music as opposed to each other, but as two elements that lean
on and complete each other.
Listening to their music, it is easy to imagine a storm over the
woods or a meadow, where the onomatopoeic role is played equally
by the electric guitar, which conjures thunder, the drums that
sound like whirlwind and the violin, which imitates the crying
of a little owl or a wolf's howling.
Cinkus is a name for the bell that accompanies people
from their birth to their death, ringing to all important events
in a person's life, including one's own very birth – and death.
While the prevalent theme of the album Domesticus Vulgaris
was sexuality, it is death and the transience of life that keeps
emerging from Spiritus Sanctus. The message: life passes
quickly and we ought to enjoy it, rather than waste it on worrying
and being nervous. Still, as in Cinkusi's music there
is always present some dark underwater current, thus listening
to it we can feel all the sorrow and pain of our ancestors given
to us in inheritance.
A good example is the introductory Bratec kosi (Brother
mows) with its seemingly gentle verses, but also with its
melodies that emphasize the ominous allusion to incest. Huja
brija is a revel that makes us forget all worries and problems,
Bela is an ambiguous toying with words through a story
about a card game, and Navigare Necesse Est composes
into music the verses of Josko Bozanic in the extinct language
of seamen lingua franca, more precisely, in the dialect
of the island Komiza. Seemingly unusual in comparison to the rest
of their opus, this last song actually deeply reflects the very
spirit of the Cinkusi's music.
A novelty are two completely authorial songs. The first one depicts
(mostly instrumentally) How Stef saw the Mother of God (Kak
je Stef videl Majku Bozju)owing to his pure heart, and the other
one, called Medo (The Bear), covers actual topics
such as recession. Both songs easily fit into the rest of the
album.
Even though it textually differs from the other songs, Medo's
verses are made in the manner of short, but effective and
witty folklore riffs that occur in traditional songs (Fear
not of recession, of acid rain fear not, fear not of grey economy,
fear not if a small willy is what you've got).
Guests on the album are Marijan Krajna and Marko First, whose
accordion and violin respectively are perfectly in tune with the
rest of the band; then there are Boris Saronja with his trumpet
and Nikola Santro on trombone who bring freshness and another
layer of emotions in some of the songs. Let's not forget two legends:
a longtime friend of the Cinkusi, aunt Liza, and Bosko
Petrovic, who make their appearance in the song Sedi si kraj
mene (Come and sit down beside me).
The grand finale of the album is the song Nenadejano Bogcije
Uzvisenje (The Unexpected Exaltation of the Lord)
to the verses of the Cinkusi's beloved poet Miroslav
Krleza, which perfectly sum all the themes of the album, while
the music strongly evokes the atmosphere of the Judgment Day,
when all deeds and misdeeds will be judged.
It seems that this year's best releases come from people who,
to a greater or lesser extent, combine mainstream pop-rock music
with the linguistic-musical inheritance of their region. Besides
the Cinkusi, the first that come to mind are Tamara Obrovac,
Gustafi and Zan Jakopac (I have probably at this moment
unintentionally forgotten to mention some others). It may be that
the problem with the so-called urban performers is that
lately (with honorable exceptions) they have lost touch with the
street and the city they live in, while they restrict themselves
to their narrow microcosms and introspection.
It is because of the way the Cinkusi manage to present
their own tradition in their own way – without losing any of its
magic – that I nominate Spiritus Sanctus among all others
for Croatian Album of the year 2009. |
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Marko Vukusic , MUZIKA.HR
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CINKUSI - AMADEO, ZAGREB, 08.09.2009(CONCERT)
"There is no greater Croatian live band" is the sentence
that follows the Cinkusi all the way back from the
publication of the small, but influential album Zeleni Kader.
It was already then that they earned the etiquette of the
Pogues live. But from their days of glory, nothing else
mattered when the dust from the stage arose under the band's
naked feet. At times they would justify their recognition, but
at times their second, not so convincing album Domesticus
Vulgaris cast a little shadow. But judging by their new
material and the rock approach to world music, things are beginning
to fall back into their place. There is no need for drumming
for their rhythm beats strongly. The Cinkusi are an
effective machine made of experienced musicians who know how
to raise an atmosphere and how to rock from the soul. People
love them. Their audience is not numerous, but it's faithful.
And that kind of audience creates an atmosphere. Now, considering
the idea of debauch present in their new album, the band is
very much like that on stage as well. They rock on. Krleza would
have been pleased if he knew how ably they manage to translate
his poetry and apply it in musical context. The Cinkusi
have transected their whole career, stayed faithful to their
ghosts of the night and rocked it out.
In the pleasant ambiance of the Zagreb club-music summer scene
Amadeo (Museum of Arts and Crafts), the Cinkusi
have rang their promotion, and now we are waiting for
people's reactions to the work of the front-runners of the KAJ
Wave.
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Jasna
Gabric , DOP MAGAZIN |
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CD DOMESTICUS VULGARIS
2005. CANTUS |
Cinkusi
won me over on the very first hearing, as a genuine ethno-punk
band which lives up to both parts of that label. Their belonging
to the ethno camp requires no detailed explanation; yet this kajkavian
version of The Pogues also possesses an indisputable punk ethos.
In other words, there’s a passionate dedication to both their
regional roots and contemporary interpretations, something which
has been fully expressed on each of their albums.
This latest one seems to be even more deeply immersed in their
emotions and view of life, particularly due to their having selected
the ultimate lyricists. On this CD Cinkusi have once again clearly
proved their intention of remaining true to themselves, regardless
of which way the wind is blowing in Croatian show business.
To sum up: Cinkusi are among our most precious oases of sincerity,
consistency and talent.
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Darko Glavan
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Music
for animated film SILENCIJUM, 2005.
Directors: Marko Mestrovic and Davor Medurecan
Production: Kreativni sindikat |
...Autori
se sada vraćaju s filmom »Silencijum« temeljenom, kao i prvi put,
na »Baladama Petrice Kerempuha « Miroslava Krleže, a objekt zanimanja
filma je sloboda. Atmosfera je mračna, dostojna predloška, a odvija
se u dva doba, modernom i feudalnom. Autori kažu da su željeli
naglasiti, a to im je i uspjelo, »kako se u feudalno doba društvena
represija odvija putem fizičke sile, a u moderno doba sofisticiranim
metodama masovne hipnoze putem medija«.
Za glazbu su ponovno bili zaduženi Cinkuši, a dijelom ju je napravio
i Boris Wagner, dok je stihove čitao Vid Balog. |
Božidar
Trkulja, VJESNIK, 30.03.2006. |
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Music for animated film CIGANJSKA,
2005.
Directors: Marko Mestrovic and Davor Medurecan
Production: Kreativni sindikat / FadeIn |
….''Ciganjska is a movie
of a thoughtfully balanced rythm, harmonious expressionistic
configuration of images and functional ethno-music naturally
grown into animation which allows us while watching to discover
and recognize are own feelings. It is a short-form film which,
although made with sophisticated computer technique, depends
on minimalism of a primary visual artisany, the one that lingers
in our memory the longest. Ciganjska is constructed
as a musical animated film whose structure and rythm are formed
by dance expressed primarily by interplay of black surfaces
on top of a grey ones, by rainy background, details like black
umbrellas and hats, dark glasses on a singer's face, guitar's
black ''eye'' and a dark hole in the grave. In spite of its
musical basis, or precisely thanks to it, Ciganjska
is a damped, silent movie, whose story is told whispering. It
is a visual musical story about old age and evanescence, about
futility of human duration and music as the best means of getting
through life with not so many scars on one's soul. At the same
time, it is a collective portrait of the Balkan people who drown
their sorrow in brandy which is usually not pungent enough so
they spice it even more with a snake poison.
We find the film's participators on a tiny island of their mother-tongue
and memories (which are forms of oblivion, as Kundera would
say) where they dance their death-bed dance and only at the
end, after a bottle with a snake and brandy inside it is being
drunk, we begin to understand that it is all about a group of
outsiders which are at the bottom (or in a getto) of megalopolis,
people caught in a gigantic concrete-trap sick of depression
which came about as a result of industrialisation, inhuman projects,
demolished monuments, of factories and chimneys throwing up
death for the nature surrounding them. In a world which feels
like a trap, it is impossible to desert from one's own life,
to evade into another one and into a different reality, in any
other way except by abondaning life''…
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Midhat
Ajanovic, ZAREZ, 01.07.2004 |
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‘’…Animated film by authors Marko Mestrovic
and Davor Medurecan is the only Croatian movie that entered
competition of this year’s Animafest. We are talking about a
really excellent achievement in so much that authorities in
the field of animated film Stiv Cinik and otherwise classically
reserved Josko Marusic, unisonously claim that ‘’Ciganjska’’
is a true little miracle and the best thing that has happened
to an animated film over the last 15 years. With particularly
dark atmosphere and anxiety, this animated film is based on
one of ‘’Balade Petrice Kerempuha’’ texts by Miroslav Krleza,
the ballade ‘’Ciganjska’’ written in 1936.
All 9 minutes and 19 seconds of duration of this supreme 3D
computer animation, strongly draw us in the character’s inner
world, and, as the authors themselves said, emphasise estrangement
on an asphalt jungle and confusing urge for auto-destruction.
Parallel with the poetics of German expressionism is drawn quite
clearly and additionally emphasised by eerie music played by
ethno group ‘’Cinkusi’’, probably the single most important
contribution to creating atmosphere in ‘’Ciganjska’’. Music
is incredibly powerful and it draws us hypnotically into the
world of Krleza’s ballade characters…’’
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Gordana
Kolanović, VIPMOVIES, 16.03.2004. |
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CD
ZELENI KADER 1999.
Croatia Records & Kopito
Records
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FOLK SINGERS
WITH PUNK ENERGY
Cinkusi are one of the most interesting and most promising
surprises coming from the predictable stylistic categories of
local show-business - folksters with spontaneity, sincereness
and punk energy!Their inaugurative album came to realization
with the help of a producer Darko Pecotic from Legen,
but in spite of his important contribution to the neatness of
the sound-picture, Cinkusi kept their identity which
was substantially differed both from Legen and Lidije
Bajuk. Reinterpretation, that is synchronization with modern
electronic sound, is in the foreground of the mentioned progenitors
of the ''ethno ambient'' approach, while Cinkusi -
like Dunja Knebl – are much more imbedded in the tradition.
As suggested by the thoughtful ''newly-composed'' songs (socialist
realist ''U divljaka luk i strijela'', chanson ''Stari
Pjer''), Cinkusi choose compositions that posses
codes of collective emotionality and primarily insist on authentic
atmosphere of folk merrymaking in their performance.But it is
not programmed crassness a la Trio Gusti and similar
representatives of ''partying until dawn'' orientation, but
musicians' vocation that takes into consideration both the authenticity
of the original as well as its adjustment to the contemporary
standards of ''unplugged instrumentation''.
Cinkusi's advantage over most of
local ethno musicians is that they have, I suppose primarily
spontaneously, come up with a combination of traditional and
contemporary as opposed to more or less successful attempts
of intellectual construction.While others are searching, they
have found it! And while at it, unabashedly enjoying themselves!
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Darko Glavan, VECERNJI LIST
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CINKUSI
– MUSIC THAT GIVES YOU AN X-RAY PICTURE OF THE SPIRIT OF MAĐIMURJE
AND ZAGORJE
Zeleni kader album by Cinkusi
(Croatia Records) counts among that kind of records which offer
us hope that good old-fashioned folk party has not yet been extinct
in these times of electronically-intensified mass media’s virtual
entertainment’s rule, as well as that it is possible from positions
which include grey brain cells, the streetwise oriented ones.
Cinkusi’s music is of completely opposite sign from the
unwitty ‘’hoppings’’ for dancing on the table, which is an even
greater success since it is primarily about a non-fiddled merrymaking
‘’with balls’’.
With a help from Darko Pecotić from Legen, the sound
picture of the Zeleni kader album is a good example of
a quality hi-fi merchandise, while the music itself is a pure
and relentless enjoyment, a sort of a mouth-breathing of the atrophied
local Estrada which in this overflow of pseudo-folk musicians
forgot what a real folk music sounds like.
By combining traditional songs into a somewhat of an x-ray picture
featuring state of mind of this climate between Medjimurje and
Zagorje, playing on the acoustic instruments provides an opportunity
for boundless ’’ungirtidness’’, while textually speaking, it is
about a successful proportion of funny and elegiac themes. With
an exception of the guitar player Mirko Radusic’s Meknite
se gore and Ivica Percl’s Stari Pjer, we find only
traditional ‘’drmesi’’ and songs like U divljaka luk i strijela
(with a legendary verse Nek nam živi živi rad inserted
within), but their ‘’handcrafted songs’’ are more a product of
intuition than of a rigid working principles and so the album
Zeleni kader as not so many discography editions, if
we look back a couple of years, authentically witnesses the mentality
which does not use a ‘’remote control’’. Without sugarcoating
that seems to come naturally with the ‘’new-composed’’ entertainers
with the last (in the best case penultimate) intentions, Zeleni
kader is an example of a full-blooded ’’ungirtidness’’ which
in a manner of an authentic folk strategy breaks down the barriers
between performers and the audience. The performance in the Zagreb’s
KSET on Tuesday the 1st of February is a chance to verify
performer’s profile which, logically, functions the best when
experienced ‘’live’’. |
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Hrvoje
Horvat, VJESNIK |
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Cinkusi
evidently show that quality ethno-music doesn’t necessary have
to be serious, gentle, hollow or even irritating to some groups
of listeners. Halfway between Legen and Dreletronic,
with a strong resemblance to Pogues, Cinkusi
represent personification of a Jozice Zgubidana’s band from the
novel U registraturi. Joyous, perky, with a violin and
a mandolin in their instrumentation, they did a fine job rearranging
traditional songs, mostly from Medjimurje and Zagorje region.
With the exception of a hellish rearrangement of a Partisan hit
Da nam zivi, zivi rad (here entitled U divljaka luk
i strijela), great cover Stari Pjer by Novkovic
and Percl and the original Meknite se si gore ending
with a verse "big balls of Vinko Pintaric". With this
kind of repertoire, Cinkusi have good chances of becoming a great
live band. |
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Bojan Muscet, JUTARNJI LIST
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For
the band Cinkusi, one can say that they emerged out of expected
development of the local ethno-scene, stimulated and greatly helped
by members of the Legen band. By rearranging 11 folk
songs of the Medjimurje and Zagorje region, and the good old hit
Stari Pjer by Djordje Novkovic, through their quite specific
arrangements varying from rock and jazz to Irish folk, they have
created one exceptional album, but most importantly, very pleasant
for listening. Unusual, but intelligent arrangements, made out
of unknown (or sometimes known quite well) folk songs, a sequence
of potential hits for everyday broadcasting. Unusual, but unusually
good album highly recommended and definitely above the average
of the local offer. |
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Dubravko
Jagatic, SLOBODNA DALMACIJA |
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