Adriatic beats and summer treats
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"Rhythm machines, poppy dancey melodies, with sometimes engaged and at other times funny or ironic lyrics reveal yet another layer of the historical culture zone." - Martin Poga?ar
Cosmos and the Adriatic
It’s summer, it’s hot. Scorching heat, dried plants of smilj et al. Cicadas are scratching endless songs out of their wings. Barely a breeze, perhaps a scent of fish on a gradela somewhere near, the murmur of the sea. Time stands still.?
Still, there’s rhythm to summers on the Adriatic shores and islands. It’s music, heard, seen, felt, embedded in palimpsests and sediments of geological past and cultural history spanning millennia, from before the Romans and the Greeks, to the Mljet republic and Venetian rule, the Habsburg Empire, Yugoslavia in different forms and sizes, to the new countries tied to the Adriatic, the sea that Egidio Iveti?, author of The History of the Adriatic calls the zone of culture.
There is different kind of music that is steeping the islands and the coast into the rhythms of sounds. One might immediately think of klape. But that’s hardly all.
A fresh new trend is emerging that relates to the shores of the Adriatic even if not necessarily “from the sea”, such as Leut magnetik, Porto Morto, or Svemirko. Rhythm machines, poppy dancey melodies, with sometimes engaged and at other times funny or ironic lyrics reveal yet another layer of the historical culture zone. This music demonstrates the interrelations, connections, overlaps, dependencies between the sea and the continent, not least in references to ports and boats (leut is a traditional Adriatic wooden boat design).
Perhaps one of the most decidedly Adriatic in this context is the Split/Zagreb split duo Valentino Bo?kovi?. Singing in local dialect about linguistic semantics, cruisers hitting the shore but most enthusiastically about space travel and an cosmonaut from whom the duo take its name. They explained to the Dalmatinski portal: “Valentino Bo?kovi? is the first man from Bra? in space. He was launched from the space station on Vidova gora in 1646, and since then he is expected to return to his native island. All our songs are about this.”?
There’s a good filling for musical composition, gentle and groovy tunes, funny and ironic lyrics, lots of dialect and word play. Singing about Valentino, who built his own roketomobil following the secret recipe he found in a book Ispovid ?anpjera Kozmonauta he took from his nono, the band inadvertently fuses island histories and stories with the peripities and adventures of the timeless cosmonaut.??
Valentino floats through ritki zrok in his lete?i pijat, brings kolo?i from Mars, but also plans on returning from space on 14 February 2046, on the occasion of the band’s first ever gig.
In a wider historical perspective, Valentino Bo?kovi? is a band that is clearly embedded in the Adriatic zone of culture and transcends the rather sanitised touristic motto of the Mediterranean “as it once was”. Instead, they fuse in an ironic way (non)invented history, local contexts, and the future. Valentino could easily be called one of the most interesting proponents of a music genre I call elektroadriatik.
In that, time hardly stands still. Instead, the rhythms of the sea, the stone, the nets, olives and fish, those typical markers of the Adriatic, come forward as the substrate that gives way to ever new interventions that also take into account the fact that technological hype may easily get constrained, and mocked about, if you drop your ajfon into the sea.
Next-gen transport connectivity
As many of us head towards the Adriatic shores, navigating potential traffic jams is always a concern. Having real-time traffic updates would certainly come in handy, wouldn't it? Knowing the optimal departure time (and definitely not at 2 am!), which border crossings to avoid, and receiving instant alerts about accidents would not only enhance our safety but also ensure smoother journeys. This is where 5G technology steps in to streamline traffic management. And Telemach Slovenia has teamed up with Telemach Croatia, DARS, the University of Ljubljana's Faculty of Electrical Engineering, and Croatia's OIV in the 5G Adria project that aims to redefine transportation and connectivity along the Mediterranean corridor linking Slovenia and Croatia. Read on.
Weekend tête-à-tête
Jazz, satire and ancient wisdoms
Primo? Vidovi? , a philosopher and musician, is renowned for his thought-provoking ideas and dynamic performances. He began his musical career in jazz and now writes and performs satirical chansons with his band Nostalgiki. With a passion for philosophy, anthropology and ethics, he regularly comments on social woes in Delo. When not performing with his jazz band or recording podcasts, Primo? likes to read the oldest edition of Aristotle he can find, accompanied by lute music. His weekends are a blend of productivity and philosophical musings, which is why lunch with him isn’t only a feast for the senses, but the soul as well.
Where will we find you this weekend?
Either performing with my jazz band, or else, making another episode of a philosophical podcast we're doing with Aljo?a Toplak, Mnogo hrupa za ni? (Much ado about nothing)
Sunday mornings: slow or zippy?
Maybe a grumpier brand of zippy, but these days I do like to get to work as soon as possible. Nothing gets me off on a wrong foot more than a lazy start of the day.
Books or news?
Definitely books. News has become pretty much worthless due to hyperproduction and sensationalism. With books, at least there's some kind of an editor. Even better if the editor is centuries of civilisation. Working through Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics right now, you'd never think that "friendship is the love of someone for who he is" is an idea that's more than 2,000 years old.
What's on the speakers?
Right now, my jam is Renaissance and Baroque lute pieces. Particularly anything performed by Thomas Dunford.
Weekend lunch: in or out??
I got really tired of eating out during my student years, so now I'm mostly cooking by myself. So far, my mother's school of cooking has served me well..
Whisky or wine?
Whisky. Says more with less.
Sunday lunch topics?
Depends who I'm eating with. With my family, it's usually more everyday matters. With my friends, well, the sky's the limit. We might start out talking about the food and end up discussing the future of humanity.
What's something you can't live without…??
Right now that's probably—and unfortunately—my phone. But to give a more romantic answer, I'd find my life to be a lot more miserable than it is if I didn't have art or philosophy to remind me what it's all about–or, of course, friends to enjoy art and philosophise with.?
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What was your most interesting performance…?
Probably in Novi Sad where I performed at the songwriting contest TaktFest. Amazing audience, wonderful hospitality. Despite the language barrier, they responded really well to my humour and music. And let's not forget the ?evapi.
What's been on your mind recently?
Mostly AI and the future of the artwork in a saturated, hyperproductive world. Writing to his wife Abigail, John Adams was making excuses for not going to galleries and to the opera often enough, saying that he had to deal with war so his sons could engage in science, so his grandsons could engage in art. Well, it isn't quite turning out this way, is it?
Is it true that anyone can be a philosopher?
Probably not. I'd say it takes a specific brand of curiosity, an open-minded attitude that enjoys taking apart the mundane and the obvious just for the sake of it. Because it's fun and fulfilling in itself. You don't, however, need an academic education. It certainly helps to know what people have thought before you. But it can also hurt if that's all you ever get out of it.
Regional snapshot
Albania’s capital simmers
In a display of mounting frustration, opposition demonstrators hurled petrol bombs at government buildings in Tirana last week. Protesters accused Rama's government of widespread corruption, demanding his resignation. They also called for the release of opposition leader Sali Berisha, who has been under house arrest since last year on corruption charges – a confinement many view as being politically motivated. Rama’s woes are likely to be compounded by the contentious case of Fred Beleri, the ethnic Greek mayor-elect of Himara. Mr Beleri, detained on allegations of vote-buying, has managed to secure a seat in the European Parliament, having ran on Greek PM Mitsotakis’ ticket.
Our view: Rama faces mounting criticism for allegedly targeting political rivals while making limited progress on government corruption. Mr Beleri's temporary release to attend the Strasbourg plenary will bring Albania's corruption issues to the fore.
The economy? Check
The IMF has, once again, given the nod at Serbia’s macroeconomic performance and fiscal prudence, unlocking an additional €400 million in funding. This comes as part of a 24-month loan program initially approved in December 2022, totalling €2.4 billion. Serbia has demonstrated remarkable recovery from the recent energy crisis, posting the strongest real GDP growth in Europe for Q1 2024, all while achieving a trifecta of accomplishments: decreasing inflation, reducing its deficit and sustaining record high foreign exchange reserves.
Our view: Serbia’s GDP is set to grow by 3.8% this year, according to the IMF. Despite the positive outlook, persistently high energy prices and sluggish growth among trading partners could dampen the country’s prospects.
Charging ahead
Slovenia’s leading energy company, Petrol, is set to expand its EV charging network, with plans to install new charging points across Slovenia and neighbouring Croatia. The €17.5 million project, financed nearly in half by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, aims to establish 105 charging points, with the majority – 65 units across 20 locations – to be installed in its home market. The initiative forms part of the EU’s broader ambitions to create a comprehensive, continent-wide network of EV charging stations, capable of delivering up to 350 kW for different EV categories.
Our view: Despite Petrol’s progress, the 'chicken-and-egg' problem of EV adoption versus infrastructure development remains a constant hurdle worldwide. The last two years saw a sixfold increase in charging stations globally. While substantial, it has been outpaced by the explosive growth in EV ownership, which saw an 18-fold rise over the same period.
The Regional snapshot is prepared by Andra? ?. Tav?ar
The Pulse
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Join Riley Keough, Elvis Presley's grandaughter, and Jessie Eisenberg at ?ibenik film festival to celebrate women in media. Be it thought-provoking films or meaningful convos, immerse yourself in the stories that feed the soul.
Ready to become a girlboss? Mark your calendars for September 4th and join the Power Women's Summit organised by Forbes Adria. Whether you're just starting your business journey or are a seasoned professional, this event will inspire and teach you how to prioritise and maximise.?
From impossible-to-find decent flats to expensive mortgages, what's happening to our real estate market? Discover well-thought-out investment strategies at the Progress Conference on September 12th. Have your morning coffee with industry professionals and finally ask: Crypto, shares or a home?
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