Inside the balkans

GERMAN DJ SHANTEL LANDS IN TOWN FOR AN ELECTRIC GIG

Adding gypsy melodies and Croatian rhythms to electro beats: that’s how German DJ Shantel has managed to pack out dancefloors across Europe. One day, whilst on tour, he went to a small city in Romania, the birthplace of his parents and was immediately won over by the diversity of local culture. Romania has been through several wars. Its borders have been chalked out by the Ottoman Empire, Russia and Austria. It was a Communist state before embracing democracy. For Shantel, this rich mixture was something of a novelty, breaking boundaries and national identities.

In London to promote the success of his last album, Disco Partizani, and a gig (this February), the musician spoke to Jungle. He revealed that he went to Rio last year for the Tim Festival: “To begin with, people were giving me funny looks, afterwards, they were all going crazy”. Referring to his music, he
explained that it’s continental, Balkan, “the real Europe”. And he emphasised the fact that British audiences can expect a mixture of “anarchy and passion”. JD

SHANTEL & THE BUCOVINA CLUB ORKESTAR
20 Feb, Wed – doors 7 pm
KOKO, CAMDEN HIGH ST.

Inside the balkans

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