Afion

(1) Afion (Macedonian: opium, poppy) is a Croatian-Macedonian band that plays western Balkan music (mostly from their homelands Croatia and Macedonia). Formed in 2003 in Zagreb, Croatia, the band played more than five hundred concerts in clubs and on major festival stages in Croatia and Europe (Bingsjö, Shetland Islands Folk Festival, INmusic Festival, Adriatico Mediterraneo, Balkan Square festival). Their live performances feature an acoustic sound with the vitality of a rock band. It was the first Croatian band to include music of national minorities of Croatia in their repertoire. They also had a big role in bringing folk music to pop and rock festivals and young audiences. Afion’s albums “Afion” ( 2006) and Čudni svati (2008) were nominated for the top Croatian music industry award “Porin”. With their many concerts the band gained a cult status and a large number of followers. In 2012 Afion announced a break (mostly because the singer Lidija Dokuzović moved to Sweden) but the band members continued playing in different projects and bands (Zykopops, Damir Imamović’s Sevdah Tahkht, Dunja Knebl & Kololira). Afion reunited in 2018 after seven years of hiatus. The band members who live in three different countries (Croatia, Macedonia and Sweden) still have the same passion of playing together and telling their stories to the world. The album “Treći bilbil” (The third nightingale) was released on May 4, 2020. The third nightingale stands for all artists who act in the most unpleasant times and therefore put themselves in danger. It is a tribute to all the singers who sing in a “wrong dialect” or perform songs from the “wrong side of the border”. The album showcases nine songs mostly from the Pannonian area of Croatia (Međimurje & Slavonia) and Macedonia. Afion includes Lidija Dokuzović on vocals; Aleksandar Jovevski on kaval (Macedonian shepherds flute), tambura, gajde; Josip Mazić on double bass; Danijel Maoduš on guitars; Nenad Kovačić on percussion. Discography: Afion (Aquarius Records, 2006) Čudni svati (Aquarius Records, 2008) Treći bilbil (Aquarius Records, 2020) (2) Afion is an alias behind which we find the author, macedonian electronic music composer and producer Branislav Nastoski, who entered a musical realm with classical guitar studies in his early years, and creates electronic music autonomously since 1995. which was preceded by a period in which he took part in several bands with different stylistic determination - alternative, fusion jazz... As a part of the project "Hierophant" composed music for a theatrical performance “The Balkan Orpheus”. In 2001., had an ambiental project for Macedonian national TV “The fields of dreams”. In 2003., publishes the album “Aeolian” for “Kukuzel music”, Macedonia. Also, the video clip for his "Aeolian" track "Distance doesn`t matter" was produced for presentation on the canadian music television "B:PM". His engagement in music also includes numerous works composed for a special purpose, for example, a movie which took part in the 2004. Italian MTV`s competition for short forms, the presentation of a factory complex “Fusina” in northern Italy, presentation of a solar based electrical plant in Sicilly, etc... The main characteristic of his music is the ambiental thread that binds the musical weaving of all tracks. Carefully chosen textures and instruments define the outlines and depict author`s inner world landscapes, who reveals his sensibility with sincerity and devotion through his compositions characterised by freedom and spontaneity. Formed during a longer period of time, the basic ideas evolved, freed from the limitations of strict genre definitions, being gradually enriched with elements which found their own place naturally. The arrangements posses the same quality. Eluding any form of strict defining, both by his nature and his work, the author nevertheless finds himself in the widest area of ambiental music, exploring its unlimited potentials and undiscovered beauties pervaded with mystery and spirituality. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.