An expansion of bands based on club sound but enriched by different textures with traces of ethno, experimental electronics, disco and 70s soul and jazz has recently been noticed in Croatia. These bands are usually stripped of classical melodic background, while labels do not locate secure sources of income in them either, like in the mainstream or the media-worn scene. Moreover, state cultural politics does not recognize these events as creative scene labours, and does not see national interest in supporting such projects. Such neglect by institutions that should foster new talents and be susceptible to new movements has caused self-organising by musicians into different communities. New technology and network hyper-communication have significantly enabled the creation of such systems, but also inevitably caused fragile bonds between them. Therefore, the link element lies more in the manner of connecting than in the content of the connections. This is why diversity of genres are supported, but a congruent manner of presentation, availability and realisation are required as well.
The Beat Busters is a musician community composed of several bands and individuals from Croatia, who share the common goal of creating a new type of audience that would be susceptible to music being created with no ideological or consumer aura. Their numerous activities include organisation of concerts, festivals, net editions, international cooperation and guest shows.
In this case, the emphasis is on live music (regardless of whether the sound source is acoustic, analogue or digital) and dance music, liberated from genre determinism. It is true that each individual band necessarily moves within a genre or sub-genre, so it could be said this is about a genre gallery of a sort, ranging from deep house, progressive ethno, all the way to drum ‘n’ bass or experimental music, but genre at the level of this community does not determine. Occasional usage of ethno sounds of exotic places (samples of didgeridoo, tables, world stick etc.) are, on one hand, the consequence of resisting the imperative of highlighting local idioms, and the desire to enter the state of global recognition on the other.
There can be no joint sound, production or mutual influence in case of the Beat Busters’ members. Such a state comes from constant exposure and availability of musicians – creators to the motley network information flow with no ideological filters, through the dynamics of which not much room remains for the creation of more significant togetherness, i.e. of a specific scene. However, clearly defined criteria are what connect the Beat Busters. These are based on several assumptions: creative creation with no calculation towards market demand, openness and transparency towards the listener or dancer, and the desire to link and network in own activities with the rest of the community, almost with no holding back. This entails voluntary mutual collaboration, help with promotion, realisation or creation of some new concepts.
This compilation, i.e. brief introduction to members includes the following authors and bands: Dubravko Lepaien, Tobogan, Dj Janatz, Less than a minute, Capisconne, Illumination, Egoless.
Links:
www.myspace.com/beatbusters
www.lapaine.com
www.myspace.com/toboganspace
www.myspace.com/jankonovoselic
www.lessthanaminute.net
www.myspace.com/capisconne
www.myspace.com/egolessdub
www.myspace.com/illuminationbass