An Anniversary: Šumski

The 30th anniversary of Šumski is a nice occasion to listen to their back catalog & to give some extra praise for mature and masterful album “Ostrvo ledenog kita” (2018).

Šumski were founded in Zagreb in January of ’91 and as a peculiar band of their generation represent the last youth of SR Croatia. Šumski’s primary source of inspiration was an album by original hippy psych collective Amon Düül I, whose playful jamming music had briefly opened Kornel Šeper’s psychedelic third eye. Brimming with amateurish enthusiasm and carelessness young group even found the way how to enter YURM ’91 festival (the last one). Modest and now legendary Kekere Aquarium cassette label followed soon with notorious first issue KA001. When they properly learnt their instruments Šumski started to resemble a band that had some things in common with music issued under Rough Trade in early to mid ’80s – arty and quirky soft* rock, combined with Zagreb’s new wave legacy. Even if in recent times melancholy can reign supreme in their repertoire, Šumski were always and still are creatures of light.

*as opposed to hard/heavy or hardcore

Slušaj taj zvuk! (nekoć pun šumova i pomalo šumast, a danas…poslušajte ih uživo čim se pruži prva prilika)

bass, vocals: Kornel Šeper
drums, percussion: Boris Begić, Berko Muratović, Ivo Urli, Petar Šakić
guitar, vocals: Marin Juraga
guitar: Javor Jeić (1991-92)

trumpet: Igor Pavlica