Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Various Artists
Label: Celinka
Release date: 22.12.2014
Duration: approx. 144 min.
Rating: 5/5
In its seven years of operation (read: the stretch between 2007 and 2014), the Celinka label has grown into one of the most important institutions on the Slovenian music scene, making sure that healthy, original music by Slovenian artists gets a safe shelter and a road to listeners. Today Celinka is probably the most Slovenian label among all the Slovenian labels. For the most part, it’s the home of acts that lean entirely, or at least noticeably, on traditional folk melos, no matter which part of Slovenia they come from. Celinka brings every last corner of Slovenian territory together in one stunning, colorful musical bouquet. Over the label’s seven years it has bloomed in full force, and to everyone’s great delight, that bloom just keeps going and going.
The pre-Christmas season at Celinka is painted with the number seven. Seven years of operation, and the compilation »Cvetober« is actually the label’s 77th release. It offers a selection of 36 tracks picked from the arsenal of more than 70 albums put out by various artists in the label’s seven years. It has to be said that Celinka isn’t exactly in the business of taking bands under its wing who build their artistry on the legacy of rock ‘n’ roll or metal. The more organic the sonic landscape, the better it fits the label’s A & R crew like a glove.
The compilation comes on two discs. Both are wildly varied, which is of course down to the stylistic leaps in the artistry cultivated and developed by the individual acts featured. The first CD leans toward radio frequencies, so there’s a noticeable pop component in these tracks. But that’s really beside the point. What matters is the incredible genre-blending and the way the ideas are packaged into one very ear-friendly musical »mass«. Whether it’s Polona Kasal’s brilliant cover of Tomaž Pengov’s Danaja, the cabaret jazz-swing rascals Nula Kelvina with the super catchy chorus of Včeraj, the smooth, caressing female vocals of Bilbi, Nana Milčinski, Neomi, Papir and Jana Sen, or all the way to the alternative-rock-minded Ni te več from Vasko Atanasovski Trio. There’s the infectiously disco-funky Prva pomoč from the universal masters of experimental shock therapy, Elevators, or the rough-and-ready blues song Trese se trese by Robert Jukič and his Kramp. Just running through this pile of tracks from the first disc, you can see the amazing genre jumps between these acts. Still, the compilers picked through the material carefully, precisely to make sure the compilation is super listenable.
So I don’t drag this on too long, let me move on to the second disc. It leans toward acts firmly tied to the tradition of Slovenian folk melos. As I mentioned up above, it’s an incredible mosaic of artists from all different corners and places of our homeland, which is a 100% guarantee that the second disc will keep you glued to it from start to finish. Whether it’s reinterpretations of traditional songs, with vocal interpretation and choral singing taking center stage, from the likes of Volk Folk, Katice, Majave rože, or the downright entertaining Aleš Hadalin, or the most charming part of the record: the fusion of folk melos with the free-spinning urges of freedom-loving improvisation, which leads to the phenomenon of eclecticism. In each of the acts, such as Rudi Bučar & Istrabend, Brencl Banda, Baraka, Jararaja and others, regardless of the level of instrumentation and/or vocal interpretation each band brings in its own tradition, you’ll get a unique approach to blending Slovenian folk melos with elements of jazz, classical, blues, cabaret chanson, swing and world music. In short, this compilation never runs out of dynamite or a red thread. Across both discs.
»Cvetober« can also be declared an exceptionally nice New Year’s gift, especially if someone close to you is a sworn music gourmet with pampered ears. As I said? Want a quick pick of the most Slovenian of the Slovenian? Then get yourself a copy of the »Cvetober« compilation as soon as you can, and new musical horizons will open up for you. This kind of compilation is also a wake-up call for everyone who keeps asking the eternal question of whether we Slovenes are bold enough as musicians of original, one-of-a-kind music, or not. Once you’ve spun both discs of the »Cvetober« compilation, it’ll become crystal clear that our musical heritage is more than remarkable, extraordinarily special and unique.
Tracklist
CD 1:
1. Vasko Atanasovski Trio – Ni te več
2. Polona Kasal – Danaja
3. Papir – Objem
4. Bilbi – Hvala za vijolice
5. Robert Jukič & Kramp – Trese se trese
6. Nula Kelvina – Včeraj
7. Elevators – Prva pomoč
8. Bas in glas – Okej okej, okej, okej
9. Andrej Trobentar & Dar – Val za valom
10. Marko Grobler – Grem na jug
11. Hamo & Tribute2love – Gremo se igrat boga
12. Nova Jazz Quintet – Spev vrtnice
13. Jana Sen – Preko vseh mej
14. Neomi – Poglej
15. Nana Milčinski – Zakaj greš mimo
16. Pinela – Drevo
17. Metod Banko & Teo Collori – Uspavanka
18. Brina Vogelnik & Janez Dovč – Sredi noči
CD 2:
1. Boštjan Gombač & Janez Dovč – Vsi so venci vejli
2. Rudi Bučar & Istrabend – Draga
3. Sounds Of Slovenia – Oblaki so rdeči (feat. Eva Hren)
4. Fake Orchestra – Fantje se zbirajo
5. Sounds of Slovenia – Šla bom na goro (feat. Vesna Zornik)
6. Klarisa Jovanovič & Della Segodba – Pod oknom
7. Brencl banda – Igraj kolo jabuko
8. Jararaja – Moj očka ima konjička dva
9. Uršula Ramoveš in fantje iz jazbecove grape – Elizabeta druga
10. Katice – Uganka
11. Ba-Rock – Izaro
12. Baraka – Z mano
13. Aleš Hadalin – Marko skače (remiks)
14. Istradmarmusic – Gospodarji grejo spat
15. Vruja – Ona mi je rekla / Stara sura
16. Rože majave – To je na biska lipa ma
17. Volk Folk – V Ljubljanco pridem čez goro
18. Irena Zdolšek – Valček zanjo
