Slovakia

One of the most appreciated turntablists and producers 3ck has been making music for 13 years now. Influenced not only by classics like Public Enemy, Wu-Tang or J Dilla but also by 90’s European trip hop legend Portishead.

After releasing his music selection of mostly hip-hop tracks, “Audio Graffiti I” and “II”, he came with his own albums. First as a collaboration with his turntable ally Biomat, which lead to an EP called “Biotrick”.

Last year he finally released a debut LP, “Spontaneous”, proving his talent and skills achieved over the years.

♪♫ Listen: “Feel the Funk”

3ck on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.

Chiki liki tu-a have celebrated their 20th birthday in 2015 in the best possible way. They released their undoubtedly best album so far. “Slzy tvý mámy, Šedivý a spol.” is a record made by mature men ready to balance their sense of irony with true musicianship.

They no longer have to be considered the crazy East Slovak band with bizarre stage outfits. They are now one of the best Slovak groups capable of creating excellent lyrics that might, one day, become legendary.

Just imagine switching from the well-worn phrase “Every day is not Sunday” to a local ice-hockey-inspired version “Sometimes, even Canada loses”. Even Morrissey would forgive.

♪♫ Listen: “DPH”

Chiki liki tu-a on Bandcamp, Facebook, www.

Even though their name might sound like a proper English one, they come from a Slovak city called Považská Bystrica and they handle their correspondence from a town with a poetic name Papradno (Brackenville).

The content of a package coming from such address is definitely worth trying – for a relatively small amount of money you’d get a lot (12 songs) of music. And as for the music, it certainly doesn’t sound Slovak at all. In a luxuriosly-produced package it is indistinguishable from the first class production and is able to flow smoothly throughout the whole record.

In small glimmers, Elections In The Deaftown remind of the slower british guitar-rock bands of recent years. “Glue” serves as an excellent soundtrack for an optimistic day. For a debut album of a young Slovak band it is much more than you could ask for.

♪♫ Listen: “Ritual” + album stream

Elections in the Deaftown on Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Facebook, www.

Their music may appear as mostly electro indie at first sight. But seeing them live you notice a vast influence of heavier genres.

Fresh Out Of The Bus are still fresh, they formed in 2013 but during last year managed to bring two releases. Pulsing beats bring their songs to life whereas vocals give them specific dreamy atmosphere.

Listening to Fresh Out Of The Bus live, you will hear a hard rock band, but just looking at them you can get surprised it’s three hip good-looking lads. Exactly as the band name would suggest.

♪♫ Listen: “Crooked Ways of Pros” + album stream

Fresh Out of The Bus on Bandcamp, Facebook, YouTube, www.

The story and the background of Gwerkova itself is interesting. Gaspi and Zsuzsi used to share a flat at Gwerkova street and at some point started to collect their music ideas.

Later a music producer Jani joined the band and together they write a dreamy electro IDM recommending to listen to it at night.

Slovak-Hungarian band singing in English is not afraid to use ambient sounds of rain, combine cello with experimental vibes. Or to title one of their songs “Diarrhoea”.

♪♫ Listen: “Safari”

Gwerkova on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.

In 2014, Half White Half Blue enriched the local scene joining other young indie / electro acts.

This four-piece band from Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, perform with a female vocalist live and combine songwriting with new rave aesthetics.

Try and catch the message of the songs drowning in the sea of beats, synths and guitars. After going out with an LP debut “Love Criminal” last year, the band promises a new impressive live show.

♪♫ Listen: “Kopernik” + album stream

Half White Half Blue on Bandcamp, Facebook, YouTube, www.

Lyrik was, for a long time, occupied with work for his two bands – Modré Hory and Zlokot. However, when AD sent him a new beat after ten years of their interrupted collaboration, he simply couldn’t resist.

It was a great decision. “Sonar” is not even twenty minutes long, but it is capable of dealing with more topics than the majority of much longer LPs. On the piano-like background, “Minúty” (Minutes) depict a breathtaking vision of war, which scares you more and more with every listen.

As if it wasn’t enough, “Mama vie” (Mother Knows) is built on one of the best beats that have ever appeared in Slovak music. For a record consisting of four songs, it definitely isn’t little.

♪♫ Listen: “Mama vie” + album stream

Lyrik & AD on Bandcamp, Facebook.

Discreet comeback of the iconic band from Bratislava called Ospalý Pohyb can be considered one of the major events in the field of alternative music in Slovakia.

Their new EP, “Ü”, is filled with precisely mastered tunes consisting of so many layers it takes time to discover them all. Even before that point, you might find the satisfying comfort in the unconventional and unique combination of music and vocals of the members of Ospalý Pohyb.

Strong emotions created with strict profesionalism. There is not a huge competing business in this field.

♪♫ Listen: “Prepáč” + album stream

Ospalý pohyb on Facebook, www.

Queer Jane say they’re from Flowerville, so imagine 60’s and 70’s placed into our world. Their lazy songwriting will make you think of the Beatles instantly, but on the other hand you get pure psychedelia resembling early Tame Impala.

The Slovak trio released their debut EP, “Loveshy” in 2014, which was recorded in a singer’s parents’ house’s guest room. Then the band continued to work on their 2-3 minute music pieces (exactly like decades ago) on “Flowerville” LP, relased last summer.

♪♫ Listen: “Bittersweet” + album stream

Queer Jane on Bandcamp, Facebook.

For a long time, it was an intelligent entertainment and a collection of singles for local audience.

However, later Saténové ruky fulfilled the threat, came up with a debut album and an excellent video. Suddenly, there it was – one of the most lyrically original albums of Slovak music scene and a new darling of the concert stages.

The fear of losing the punk atmosphere of the first singles was averted. The colourful debut LP, “Bozkávam”, only paved the way for Saténové ruky to the top of the alternative part of Slovak music scene.

♪♫ Listen: “DušaN” + album stream

Saténové ruky on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook.

Attempts to capture new music trends in Slovak scene occure repeatedly. Sometimes, a new trend finds a fertile ground and creates a colourful layer of local scene.

Indie guitar music, the powerful force on British scene at the beginning of the millennium, has been sneaking into local realm very slowly. The debut album of Scott & Zelda deals with such disadvantage without any mercy.

The opening track, “Fľaša” (Bottle), reminds of the raw sound of The Strokes, which shapes the whole record. Although the length of majority of the songs doesn’t exceed three minutes, their lyrical complexity is marvellous. One original metaphor is followed by another, without any negative footstep on the rhythmical side of the record.

Just imagine The Strokes combined with The Libertines in one of the most interesting local debuts of recent years.

♪♫ Listen: “Nuda” + album stream

Scott & Zelda on Facebook, YouTube.

In 2006, ex-members of different bands formed the Swan Bride. Their sound, so unique on the first EP “Monsters in Your Drawers!”, is also what you get of the band playing on stage.

Their loud and psychedelic post punk concerts used to be theatrical performances as well. But after three albums, on their latest record “Swan Songs” the Zilina-based band’s sound shifted a bit, gaining new sources of inspiration – like ’80s melodics and ’00s casualty.

Listening to Swan Bride’s very first and the latest release, you’d hardly say it’s the same band with original members – as the group’s personnel has never changed, they only got one more guitar player over the years.

♪♫ Listen: “Passerby”

Swan Bride on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter.