The Best of Croatian Music in 2010

| NORA VERDE |

Nina Romić - Daljine

For years now Nina has been enchanting us with her atmospheric folk-pop acoustics and like some sort of a fairy she has been moving softly but securely through the jungle of the Croatian pop rock music scene. After the album “Daljine” was officially released, she became known beyond the closed circles of the acoustic scene in Zagreb. myspace.com/ninazg

Mika Male - Vremenom

Orlan Tus is a sort of a male soul mate of Nina Romić. And Mika Male are small but in the same time grand in their immediacy, simplicity and their feeling for urban and intimate frames that are filled while alone in the dark of our rooms. myspace.com/mikamale

Darko Rundek - Plavi avion

Our special ambassador in Paris doesn’t have a diplomatic salary but he is one of the rare Croatian musicians that have the ability to succeed beyond the borders of Croatia. “Plavi avion” is a journey away from the commercial pop ethno forms. With it, Rundek, Isabel and Vranić brought back a lot of emotions and a real passion for playing music. darko-rundek.com

Jinx - Diksilend

Jinx is a smart, catchy and witty band which many compliment with epithets of pop. No, they are not in a midlife crisis; they are behind a table, amid a luxurious country retro pop feast we will enjoy during the entire year to come. (You can listen to the whole album here) myspace.com/jinxhr

Elemental - Vertigo

They supplied themselves with riffs, and armed with crossovers and righteous rhymes they lashed out at the Croatian and the regional shitty reality. CSI Zagreb in action, if you’re not it Remetinec, beware… elemental.hr

The Bambi Molesters - As The Dark Wave Swells

Some dark wave took Bambi Molesters on another of their surf trips. It’s beautiful, a bit dark but still worldly and imaginative. The wave from Sisak is getting bigger and on its crest ride only the brave. myspace.com/thebambimolesters

Independent:

U pol 9 kod Sabe

It used to be Sandra, now it’s Saba. Whoever was the patron or the band leader of this new incarnation – all hail! This low fi band is currently the most fun female circus in our underground back yard. And come on, shot a low budget video for the song “Veseli svaki me kraj”. FB Fan Page

Shoxx

Lora Šuljić, Zoran Pleško and other members of the band Shoxx have a taste for alter dark electro pop and rock. They have talent too, so listen to their “Going solo”, it’s perfect for our little private Idaho… myspace.com/theshoxx

Žen

I’m not sure if their name change was completely pain-free, but the trio from the former band Ž/buka and today’s Žen needs to record an album as soon as possible. We’ve heard that Hrvoje Nikšić opened the doors of his Kramasonik studio and invited them in. Let the fun finally begin! myspace.com/zbuka

Less Than Minute

Valent Samardžija’s electro, ethno, post funk band from Zagreb passed fairly unnoticed on our scene so far. Use your browsers, go to their web site www.lessthanaminute.net (link temporary unavailable) immediately and download their free album.