Dubioza Kolektiv

Dubioza Kolektiv is a Bosnian and Herzegovinian group active since 2003. The line-up includes Armin Bušatlić, Almir Hasanbegović, Brano Jakubović, Vedran Mujagić, Senad Šuta, Adis Zvekić and Orhan Maslo.

Style and formation

The group forms in Bosnia and Herzegovina in a period of political and economic stagnation, and its music draws on Balkan traditions as well as ska, punk, reggae, electronic music and hip-hop. Its work is rooted in direct engagement with social and political issues, and it becomes known for putting contentious subjects at the centre of its songs.

Releases and collaborations

Dubioza Kolektiv releases its self-titled debut album in 2004, followed by the EP Open Wide, which features dub poet Benjamin Zephaniah and Mush Khan of Fun-Da-Mental. Its second full-length album, Dubnamite, helps broaden its reach beyond Bosnia and Herzegovina. Firma Ilegal follows in 2008 and brings wider recognition across the Balkans. The song Blam appears in Jasmila Žbanić’s film Na Putu.

The band’s fourth album, 5 do12, is made available for free on its own website. Its fifth album, Wild, Wild East, is released through Bill Gould’s label Koolarrow Records and gives the group wider international distribution.

Later work

Apsurdistan is released in 2013 and is downloaded more than 300,000 times. Its track Kažu draws more than 15 million views on YouTube, and the group’s Western Balkans tour sells out every venue. Happy Machine follows as a later release and includes contributions from Manu Chao, Benji Webbe of Skindred, Roy Paci, Punjabi singer BEE2, Catalan ska-rumba group La Pegatina and Macedonian trumpet player Dzambo Agusev. The songs are performed in English, Spanish, Italian and Punjabi, and the album draws on themes including the Gezi Park protests, the imprisonment of The Pirate Bay founders, and the Syrian refugee crisis and Europe’s response to it.

Live reputation

Dubioza Kolektiv builds a reputation as a strong live act through extensive touring across Europe. It is also named No. 1 band at Eurosonic in a vote by European festivals.