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15 years Yellow Music

Photo: Svetlin Nikolaev

At the end of the 90s four Bulgarian bands created an informal association, commonly known as Yellow Music (Zhalta Muzika). This is a registered non-governmental organization that has its own studio, office and a club where musicians perform their music. Part of the organization used to be bands like Animatsionerite, Ostava, Bluba Lu and Wickeda, as well as other bands that used the available resources. What united all of them was the desire to impose high standards to Bulgarian music and art in general. The Yellow Music label was established some fifteen years ago and lasted only a few. It did not manage to release an album and the bands part of the organization continued their development with contracts with commercial companies. So in 2001 the association ceased operation, but left its strong influence in the development of alternative music in Bulgaria. 

The Wickeda band /Photo: Elena Tsvetkova
On March 29 Animatsionerite, Ostava, Bluba Lu and Wickeda reunited for an exclusive concert in the Terminal 1 Club in Sofia to mark the 15th anniversary since the label was established. The bands presented live some of their emblematic projects. Bass player of the Moby - Svetlana Vasileva arrived especially for the event from London to perform with the Animatsionerite.

The success of the concert raised questions about the Yellow Music movement fifteen years later. Tsvetan Metodiev from Animatsionerite compares "Yellow Music" with the April Uprising, which did not achieve military success, but caused serious public reactions. 
“It seems to me that our organization managed to introduce the new sound to Bulgaria, drawing interesting parallels between native and foreign music. This was a success,” Tsvetan Metodiev says.

We asked him if Animatsionerite could get back together. “The other bands – Ostava, Bluba Lu, and Wickeda are active and continue having concerts and releasing albums. I was pleasantly surprised by the success of the recent concert, which brings us inspiration. The ideas of the yellow music are romantic and remain in the past -15 years ago. Today we are different and do not think in the same way. But if people want and like this music, it will continue to exist.”

English version: Alexander Markov




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