SulaFest 2016 will be hosting the awesome guys from Balkan Beat Box, for what we’re expecting to be an awesome performance. The Sherp got the opportunity to interviewย band member Ori Kaplan about influences, the evolution of BBB’s music and how they would love to collaborate with Asha Bhosle!
(Image Courtesy:ย Guy-Pereg/ Balkan Beat Box Facebook)
Hi guys. We’re so excited to have you here. How would you describe your music to potential fans in India who haven’t listened to it before?ย
A big urban mix of music at an immigrant party in New York City, the Middle East withย Jamaican funk, punk and Balkanย electronica.
Your music fits somewhere in the wide spectrum of genres that is world music. How do you think your sound has evolved over the years?
We grew a lot musically speaking, letting more and more influences in and learning from our experience. We always try to push the envelope and create new sounds that interest us . while still keeping true to the kind of sound that is BBB. We don’t think in genres and wee don’t know what the ‘world music’ label is. We try to make our own aesthetic judgements without thinking of stamp someone might put on us.
You released your last album in 2012. Can we expect another album from you soon?
It’s coming! ย This February a new single will be out, and slowly but surely after a few singles we will release the new album which we are very excited about . it has new sounds and experiences for us.
Would you consider incorporating Indian/Hindustani influences in your music?
For sure! We love Classical Indian music plus some Bollywood music is very exciting. ย We would love to do a track with Asha Bhosle!
Each song of yours is vastly different from another, each with its own identity. And that’s brilliant. Can you run us through yourย song-writingย process?
Each album is a different process. We purposely create hurdles, so we are working under guidelines or limitations that help us. For example in the new album that is yet to be releasedย we jammed on different BPM different speeds- a purely vibing jam session that we also recorded it all and sampled it later by using only the best parts. ย Then came melodies and lyrics for which we sit in the same room until something comes up. It can take one magical day or one week and we keep at it until we are happy or scrap it and move on to the next beat. Sometimes we have a preconceived notion of what we want, for example I may come prepared with a melody and a tempo in mind or Tamir will cook a great beat idea. ย But we always change it all together, so something new is born each time.
Your music amalgamates sounds from many cultures and places. Do you think it’s possible to make a cultural impact through music?
An idea or sound can travel very far as we know. ย It’s always inspiring to think of Bob Marley or John Lennon and how they impacted the way we grew up and helped shape our minds. Their ideas made that ideological and cultural impact on us. so I guess music can make a difference at least that’s what we aim for.
As a band, what contemporary artists (if there are any) do you draw inspiration from?
Right now we’re loving Kendrick Lamar, because he is doing very creative things in the hip hop world – it crosses over and knows no boundries. Also Tyler The Creator is great. Stromae is a great Belgian song writer.
Lastly, your songs are definitely high on energy. Can your fans expect the same level of effervescence live at your SulaFest set?ย
Of course, that’s why we tour. We want to make the live show an experience of energy and dance.
(Image Courtesy :ย Morten Rygaard/Balkan Beat Box Facebook)
Catch this groovy band at SulaFest 2016. Book your tickets, here!
