the psych folk pop of

Cinc

CD (2001), CD (2006)

Amorfon      Cinc : Shine or wot? (Osecev Sjaj) (SERB,rec.2001)***

Cinc (-pronounced "chinch"-) basically has a basis of a duo of acoustic guitarists/singer-songwriters (Dorde Llic & Luka Stanisavljevic) who started more obviously in the Belgrade's scene with influence from the 80's New Wave scene, with a punk band style, then evolved to a more Anglo-Saxon styled group, until their drummer left. This was taken as an opportunity to work more on acoustic guitar/string arrangements to compensate, until this new direction became a new standard for a renewed style of their music, making it suitable to play it on quiet places and to show more subtle aspects. The songs have some humour and nicely worked out acoustic and amplified guitar arrangements. Their fundament in style leans both to singer-songwriting and acid folk. The group takes some distance from the traditional Balkan folk scene with an more independent style. Just one or two tracks have a small touch of local folk (arrangement,harmonica).

The duo also attracted some guests on the album (like Aleksandra Vilotic, Danka Nikolic and Lidjija Radmilac on violin and viola, Marija Balubdzic on piano, Zjelko Makivic on keyboards, vocals and loran Petrovic, accordion) to make the music even more interesting. Aleksandra and Danka played themselves also some nice chamber-like violin & viola arrangements. There's also some more worked out string-and piano arrangement from Luka on "You go out Mad". These arrangements make the music musically also more complete and subtle, and highly enjoyable, in a chamber music situation.

This album was originally released in 2001, and now is recently reissued by this interesting Japanese label.

Audio :"Knot Knitting" (or here), "At The North Of Canada" (or here), "Tweed", "Flask", "Oats", "Biologist", "Bombozze" (or here), "Forest Mother", "Seventeen" (or here), "White Tulip" (or here), "Trees" (or here), "You Go Out Mad" or at http://shop.praemedia.com/amorfon.html

Homepage : http://www.cincplug.com/english.htm

With bio : http://www.cincplug.com/bio_english.htm

Translation of texts & audio: http://www.cincplug.com/shineof.htm

Label entry: http://www.amorfon.com/HTM/AMO003.HTM

Interview: http://www.amorfon.com/HTM/AMO003INT.HTM

Amorfon      Cinc : Polyphonic Poetry (SERB,2006)***'

It’s a very good idea that label owner Yoshida Machida decided to contribute on it with steelpan on some tracks (1,7,..) with an extra colourful arrangement. The group also made the effort to sing many songs in English (track 2,4,7,9,12) but also in French (3,8,10) and Japanese (track 3 has a part which is translated from a text from Baudelaire), and in German -slightly sounding like Yiddish- (track 5), and in Spanish as well (11). Only “Maj” (13) is in Serbian. The first English track, “Marillenknodel” sounds like New Order into a acoustic psychfolk territory. There’s a certain childish fun in most songs which I’m sure will fit well with some Japanese releases that find and make such child-like folk very attractive. The acoustic fun is really everywhere. This is especially exaggerated on “Maj” with the kazoo’s and Jew’s harp, combined with the song and guitars, and some violin. Even when various poems are used, the basic musical communication to the listener is rather fun making nonsense (still slightly more nonsense than real fun), with variatied arrangements. I think the release shows some attractivene improvement to the previous release.

Audio : "Cinc Plug", "Chuchotements", "Dastin"

Homepage : http://www.cincplug.com/english.htm

Lyrics : http://www.cincplug.com/polyphonic/english.php

Label entry: http://www.amorfon.com/HTM/AMO008.HTM

More Acid Folk/folkpsych items from former Yugoslavia : http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/YU.html

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