Welcome to the Family

Bosnian guitarist Igor Sekulović grew up in Banja Luka, loving the sevdah music his mother and aunts sang. He ended up in Holland – perhaps, like Bosnia's finest producer, Dragi Sestić, in order to flee the war. There he formed Project Rakija (rakija being the potent Balkan spirit that accompanies all celebrations in the region) with a group of friends in an attempt to create ‘psychedelic Balkan rock.

Initially I was dubious, and the opening tunes – Goran Bregović-style Balkan-pop fusion – are just too busy. But then Project Rakija relax, exploring sevdah melodies in the manner of good jazz or blues players – feeling rather than forcing them. Four horns, accordion, bouzouki, clarinet, Wurlitzer electric piano, double bass, drums and, of course, Igor's guitar come together to create lyrical soundscapes. A rather forced version of ‘Durdevdan’ – the band's own version of the famous Roma hymn, ‘Ederlezi’ – closes things on a slightly corny level (a la Bregović), but with their best material Projekt Rakija are inspired. What I'd really like to hear now is the Sarajevo-based sevdah singer Amira join up with this band in the studio.