DD Synthesis was a band established in 1995 for the purpose of carrying out an in-depth pursuit of the outstanding folk music treasures of Macedonia. The name “Synthesis” was chosen to express the concept of the group. The combination of traditional sounds with contemporary arrangements creates a musical synthesis. Digging deeply into the roots of Macedonian folk heritage, with a serious concern for the basics of traditional compositions, the group has received high praise for breathing new life in this milieu.
The melancholic voyages of DD Synthesis, with the full emotional power of the heritage and the typical complexity of Macedonian rhythms, should not be missed by any Balkan music fan. Macedonia has finally uncovered a contemporary world music project! The group uses the full range of original Macedonian instruments: kaval, gaida, zurla, tapan, tarabuka (darbuka) and tambura.
The line-up consisted of three young female singers, a keyboard player, two percussionists, a tambura player and, of course, kaval, gaida or zurla on the front. Special mention must made here of the fact that while the majority of the folk-songs groups in Macedonia are amateur groups, this band was made up of professional musicians who were trained in the basics of music.
DD Synthesis recorded its first CD in 1996. The CD was released at the very beginning of 1997 by SJF Records (a division of Skopje Jazz Festival). It got excellent reviews and acclaim all over Europe. The music of DD Synthesis was included on the compilation “Unblocked-the Music of Eastern Europe” on the American Ellipsis Arts label.
In 1997, the group started its touring and played various International Festivals, like “Druga godba”, “Trn Festival”, “Mediterranean Festival” in Slovenia, Folk Festival in Budapest, Hungary, EBU Festival in Krems, Austria. Besides numerous concerts in Macedonia, in 1998, DD Synthesis performed at “Dionysia Festival” in Rome, Italy, EBU Festival in Portoroz, Slovenia, “Tanz & FolkFest” in Rudolstad, Germany, “Akko Festival” in Israel… In May 1999, the group toured Japan.
Without exception DD Synthesis was overwhelmed with the enthusiastic responses by audiences and critics. With only one personnel change in its history, Goce Dimovski replacing Dragan Dautovski, the band prepared the second CD for SJF Records. The release date was July 1, 2000. The second CD, “Swinging Macedonia”, was mostly recorded in Ljubljana (Slovenia). It is completely acoustic with the use of a symphony orchestra on a couple of pieces.
The band:
Goce Dimovski – kaval, gaida, zurla
Vane Jovcev – piano, keyboards
Marjan Jovanovski – tambura
Goce Uzunski – tapan, tarabuka (darbuka)
Radoslav Shutevski – percussion Aneta Shulankovska, Biljana Ristovska, Mirjana Joshevska – vocals
Discography:
DD Synthesis (SJF Records, 1996)
Swinging Macedonia (SJF Records, 2000)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
