In a year when the entire planet focused on one thing only, music has become a secondary topic. It is hard to be up to date with the songs or albums released in 2020 when you’re contemplating the end of the world. This mostly applies to local projects, which lack proper promotion anyway. It is why we decided to create a list of tracks released these past several months by Cluj artists, reminding you of the good times:
Zimbru – The Ground
Zimbru has its roots in the Lights Out project, which was abandoned just when things were starting to take off. If we are to believe the Courtyard crowd, it seems that many people still remember them. They had a strong local following at EC7. The sound of the new musical project is similar to that of Lights Out, however, the band’s progress is obvious. This track is about life originating in the soil. It’s only natural that Zimbru (Buffalo) write such songs, considering they’re a band whose name is inspired by a wild animal. The Cluj folks remind us of our connection with the Forest Fairy in a year when our only connection was to the internet.
Satellites – DANCE
This is one of the most ambitious Romanian bands. They started out as an alternative rock band, then shifted towards drum and bass inspired tracks and now they’re into super-groovy rock. They performed at Electric Castle multiple times, always with a fresh approach. It is worth seeing them perform every year because you’ll never know what to expect. But no matter the expectations, they will sound amazing. The first single from the Generations EP is extremely catchy. DANCE, as the title suggests, is an invitation to successive leg, arm and hip movements. You’ll be left with a pleasant feeling after listening to it. You’ll realize it was not that difficult to dance in 2020, when you hardly had the willingness to get out from bed.
Baba Dochia – July
This is a clip featuring the streets of Cluj during the pandemic. There’s not a single soul on the streets. In every other context, this would be highly depressing. But adding the music of Baba Dochia to the visuals makes you feel that you can achieve anything. In the July video, the pandemic is an opportunity for a fresh start. Additionally, it shows you how cool it would be to ride your bike through the city without the appalling traffic. Let’s hope Baba Dochia prepare something for the next lockdown as well.
Danaga – People Are Not Machines
Danaga is a highly experienced producer on the local scene. He has mixed all over Romania, including in Bonțida. Up to this point, we’ve covered a couple of bands who put out new music during the pandemic. This, however, is about one person, which makes things different. It’s one thing to write songs during a pandemic when you have colleagues to push you or make you feel bad unless you record something. It’s a completely different thing to find motivation on your own. To write music during a pandemic can be a superhuman effort. Danaga rolled up his sleeves and released Doamne ferestre (God forbid), an album which strengthens his status of sound artisan.
