Acoustic Corporation is one of the young Bulgarian bands. For two years its members have remained constant and it has had a brass section. A taste for good music is what brought together in Plovdiv Ivo Mateev, guitar and vocals, his sister Teodora Mateeva, vocals, Alexander Mihailov, saxophone and shepherd’s flute, Nikki Tsekov, drums, Georgi Uzunov, bass guitar and a newcomer – Ivan Nelin, trombone. The formation’s style is a unique mix of funk, swing, blues, reggae, ska and Balkan ethno music. Their debut album Better Day also features Zhoro Harizanov, trumpet, a.k.a. Smooth J. The band is currently promoting their CD with a tour across Bulgaria’s major cities.

In 2013 Acoustic Corporation won a contest for young bands. In an interview for Radio Bulgaria’s Monica Alexandrova, frontman Ivo Mateev talks about the vistas that opened up before the band after they won the contest:

”The contest was part of the ON! Fest 2013 last autumn and we won first prize. We were then given the opportunity of recording at Pekarnata studio – I would like to express my gratitude to the studio staff for their professionalism. The prize also included making a video to one of our songs and we chose the song Wondrous Fool. The video shows the process of recording and the studio atmosphere.”

Acoustic Corporation’s debut CD includes five tracks. Here is more from Ivo Mateev: “The compositions and the lyrics are mine. In quite a few of the songs the arrangement was done together with the other band members. The songs are very different from one another – and it is this that runs through the music of Acoustic Corporation – the eclectic approach. The piece that gave the album its name – Better Day is blues rock. Wondrous Fools incorporates different styles and has a more playful sound. One of the compositions takes us closer to swing as its name suggests – Swing the Blues. The only song that is in Bulgarian is called Faraway, and it has an ethno sound.

Besides Acoustic Corporation Ivo Mateev has founded two other formations he works with. Together with DJ Skill and a number of guest musicians, three years ago he founded the Bold Dreamers as well the experimental Essen-tsia. If you want to hear and see Acoustic Corporation live during their tour, then waste no time. Here is Ivo Mateev again:

“We have just two dates left – we will be playing in Bourgas on February 28 and the next day in Varna. There our supporting band will be Radio Sara – friends of ours from Varna whose music we enjoy.”

English version Milena Daynova

The audio features the following tracks:

-  Better Day;

-  Wondrous Fools;

-  Faraway;

-  Swing the Blues.