• Art Rock
• Bogunov
• Croatia
• Ognjen Zeljić
• Slovenia

Published on 17/01/2023 11:00 am

Inexplicably, the planets aligned in a way that allow this here show to continue its art-rock streak for a second week running. Unlike last week, however, today we are taking a look at Bogunov, a band whose performers are very much alive and kicking, even though they are not exactly brimming with youthful exuberance. If you catch our meaning.

It should come as no surprise that Zeljić is the driving force behind the band. Not only is the band’s vocalist, he is also the main author of Bogunov’s songs. His lyrics range from dark melancholy to excited happiness, with everything in between. Most importantly, however, with every song Zeljić tries to tell a story.

From Split to Ljubljana

And there are plenty of stories to tell. Namely, Zeljić is a native of Croatian port city of Split. And like every other port city in the world, Split is a place where cultures meet and worlds collide. However, as Yugoslavia started coming apart in the early nineties and Croatia was getting engulfed in a protracted war of independence, a young Ognjen Zeljić moved with his sister – also a musician – to Slovenian capital Ljubljana.

Fast forward ten years and a new band appeared on Slovenian musical scene in 2002. Appropriately, it was at a student music festival, where many a Slovenian band got noticed first. Zeljić put together a crew together and this Croatian-Slovenian hybrid immediately made a favourable impression, which led to numerous gigs in venues small and less-small, all over Slovenia.

We said at the beginning that Bogunov are an art-rock back. That may be a bit misleading, however. Their music encompasses everything from art-rock, blues, French chanson and even folk, but they will not shy from a clear-cut pop dancefloor hit either.

Second album upcoming

In addition to Ognjen Zeljić, Bogunov are guitarists Peter Pavić and Vladimir Zelić, bass guitarist Boris Holešek and drummer Rok Skoliber. They perform in both Slovenian and Croatian and have released one full album. More importantly, they will release their follow up album next month. Titled Dolazimu U Miru / We Come In Peace, it is heralded by this tune.

And that’s all the time we have for today, check out Bogunov on YouTube, Spotify and wherever you get your music from, and Balkan Express will be back in two weeks’ time.

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Balkan Express takes weekly trips into contemporary musical production of, you guessed it, the Balkans. Forget gusle and tamburice, this show is about rock, pop and a sense of humour. Well, at least there’s guitars. On air most Tuesdays in a new-and-improved time-slot at 1100 hrs. Usually. Your train conductor is Aljaž (aka @pengovsky) who once did the world a solid and decided never to sing again in public. Which is why he ended up doing radio.