• art
• constructivism
• Eurosong
• Indie-pop
• Konstrakta
• Serbia
• Zemlja gruva

Published on 07/06/2022 11:00 am

The 2022 edition of Eurosong might well be in our rear-view mirror. But this does not mean this here show can not take a cue from the festival of glitz, glamour and giddiness. Specifically, we will take a look at Konstrakta, representing Serbia at the Eurosong.

Constructivist triptych

Off-stage, Konstrakta goes by the name of Ana Đurić. An architecture major and formerly a vocalist of an indie pop group Zemlja Gruva / The land of Groove. In 2019, however, she launched a solo career as Konstrakta. As her moniker suggests, hers is constructivist music, as much a pop product as it is a work of art.

In Corpore Sano is in fact the second part of a triptych of songs. We heard the first part, Nobl, in the beginning of the show. The trilogy is capped by Mekano/Soft. The whole 12 minute set is a very critical take on the state of things in Serbia. Politically, economically and socially. The only reason In Corpore Sano was picked for Eurosong contest was the very banal fact that it corresponded to the competition’s three-minute time limit.

Konstrakta’s triptych was released in February this year. But her initial solo debut was released in 2019. We may put it down to the pandemic, but she has released singles at an extremely slow pace. Then again, given that her music is more art than chart-friendly kitch, maybe that is not really a surprise.

Konstrakta before Konstrakta

While she avoids political statements off-stage, Konstrakta’s body of work is very political in nature. She said in a recent interview that it would disingenuous not to comment on the world she lives in. Her criticism goes against the media as well. In her songs she pushes against the propensity of the media to push banal stories over real issues. So it is something of a metaphysical irony that her songs make the media run banal stories about Konstrakta’s personal life rather than the issues she raises. Can’t win.

Talking about, or even expecting an album from what is a counterintuitive musical project may be a fool’s errand. But then again, Konstrakta’s mileage in the music industry does spur hope that an album might not be completely off the table. After all, while she was involved with Zemlja Gruva, the band released three albums in the space of six years.

Check out Konstrakta on YouTube, Spotify or wherever you get your music from and, well, Balkan Express will be back next week.

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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.