Dubioza Kolektiv

Once upon a time (2003), in a shady corner of the world, in a country called Bosnia and Herzegovina, a group of friends decided to form a band. But this was no ordinary band, and it was not founded under ordinary circumstances. Alongside local influences from the Balkans, musical influences from around the world were added: ska, punk, reggae, electronics, hip-hop. However, there was no music industry, few concerts, and no space for cultural or political expression among the new generation of entrenched youth. In fact, the entire region suffered from a deep moral and economic stagnation (apathy) in the post-war period. Out of this environment, Dubioza Kolektiv was born, not quietly, but with great noise, bringing taboo topics to the forefront and demanding to be heard. In this way, they created a phenomenon.

To give a brief overview of the band's history, their self-titled debut album DUBIOZAKOLEKTIV was released in 2004 and was immediately received with enthusiasm that had not been seen in the Bosnian scene since before the war. This was followed by the EP OPEN WIDE, this time featuring lyricist Benjamin Zephaniah and Mush Khan from Fundmental. Then came their second CD titled DUBNAMITE, which began to spread their popularity beyond the borders of Bosnia. After the release of FIRMA ILLEGAL in 2008, they became famous for their bold and uncompromising stance against the nationalist establishment throughout the Balkan region. In 2010, album number four titled 5 DO 12 (5 to 12) followed, and as a gesture of commitment to their fans, Dubioza made the album available for free download on dubioza.org, thus contemptuously hitting the ultra-capitalist music labels over the head.

Around this time, Bill Gould from Faith No More discovered Dubioza Kolektiv, and under his label Koolarrow Records, they recorded their fifth album WILD WILD EAST, bringing the band to the international stage with worldwide distribution. APSURDISTAN was released in 2013 and became a major success with over 350,000 downloads. The animated music video for the title "Kažu" was viewed 50 million times on YouTube, and their West Balkan tour led to sold-out arenas. All of this, along with their tireless touring attitude, brought Dubioza's music to every corner of Europe.

In 2016, the band released their seventh LP album, HAPPY MACHINE, featuring guest appearances from Manu Chao, Benji Webbe from Skindred, Punjabi singer BEE2, the Catalan ska-rumba band La Pegatina, and trumpeter Džambo Agušev from Macedonia. Another highlight was the video and the song itself "No Escape (from Balkan)." This was followed by their first USA tour, debuting at SXSW and performing in several North American cities at venues like the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. They were voted the number 1 band at the Eurosonic Festival 2016.

PJESMICE ZA DJECU I ODRASLE, another album in their native language, was released in 2017, along with a documentary FILM ZA DJECU I ODRASLE, which documented the band's story and the making of the album. "Himna generacije" and "Rijaliti" quickly became hits with millions of views. Following their earlier collaboration on the song "Red Carpet," Dubioza Kolektiv and Manu Chao teamed up again for another power single "Cross the Line," announcing their new album #FAKENEWS, which was released in January 2020. The album features guest appearances from legendary dub-reggae artist Earl Sixteen from Dreadzone, Soviet Suprem, the Mexican band Los de Abajo, and an exclusive appearance by Robby Megabyte, the almost-famous internet superstar robot. The songs are in English, Spanish, and Google-translated French.

Dubioza Kolektiv's latest album AGRIKULTURA was released in May 2022. The album, featuring songs in the local language, was written during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. While the world surfed the internet and everyone was glued to their screens, Dubioza began to think about the future of agriculture and who would produce food when everyone works in the IT sector. The album was announced with three singles: "Kafana," "Bubrezi," and "Može li?", accompanied by music videos that have already been viewed over 8 million times on YouTube.

Over the years, Dubioza Kolektiv has become the largest band in the Balkans, with sold-out concerts at venues with over 12,000 spectators in Zagreb, Belgrade, Ljubljana, Pula, Rijeka, Split, Sarajevo, Sofia, etc. Besides the Balkan region, they have played sold-out shows in the USA, Canada, and across Europe: London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Dublin, Budapest, Oslo, Prague, Vienna, Madrid, and more. The band has also performed at major European festivals such as Glastonbury, Roskilde, Boomtown Fair, Paléo Festival Nyon, Lollapalooza, Lowlands, Ruhrpott Rodeo, and many more. They set the attendance record at the Špancirfest and the Fusion stage of the Exit Festival and played in front of half a million people at the Pol’and’Rock Festival, where they received the Złoty-Bączek award for the best international performance of the festival in 2018, as voted by the audience.

They have toured and continue to tour tirelessly, with over 100 performances each year. Audiences around the world have recognized them as a must-see live act. Their story has shown: these guys won't stop until they achieve their goals. If you are looking for macho posturing, money, and ego displays, you won't find it here – no MTV gangsters, no strippers or bling, no corporate sponsors from the international fashion industry. Rather, they embrace traditional musical forms and enrich them with their unique perspective, conveyed on a positive level that hits you like a breath of fresh air. If you are open to this experience, it could change your life.