MARI KALKUN / ZARINA PRVASEVDA

Mari Kalkun’s music, though sung by the artist in a language few people understand, creates a meditative and intriguing atmosphere affecting many emotions. Her spare musical arrangements are mostly based on the sound of kannel – a traditional Estonian zither. In that, what remains in the foreground is Kalkun’s voice, which is melancholic and joyful, delicate and composed at the same time. Mari admits that it is crucial for her who and what she sings about – many of her songs are dedicated to people close to her or life milestones such as birth, death or wedding. They also celebrate a pure beauty of everyday life, that is why she frequently uses the texts of local poets describing rural life, stories and landscapes.

On the verge of authenticity and transferring cultural heritage into self-expression, Macedonian artist Zarina Prvasevda found her own voice on her long-awaited debut album, Eho, a release that contains a unique approach over 11 traditional songs in 4 different languages. Released by Croatia Records, the album summarizes Zarina’s artistic vision through freedom and roaming between all the impressions that inspired her through the heritage of folklore. While her vocal techniques rely on Eastern-European and oriental traditions, the instrumental and rhythmic diversity breathes through the whole record.