Zykopops

Zykopops are a folk punk band from Croatia. They specialise in punk reworkings of traditional songs from Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia and Hungary, and their music is described as combining Ramones-style tempos with a deliberately rough, anarchic approach to detail. The group presents this material as “rakija music” for party audiences and frames its aim in playful terms as reaching a state of “rabbit-ness” and passing it on to others.

Style and repertoire

The band’s set consists of classic and obscure traditional songs, reworked with trash folk and punk elements. Their sound is tied to the broader Balkans folk-punk and etno context, but with an emphasis on speed, humour and abrasion rather than polished arrangement.

Line-up and contributors

Zykopops are fronted by Lidija Dokuzović. The group also features violinist Martin Swan and includes Erol Zejnilović and Konrad Lovrenčić from Elemental. Their wider performance cast also includes percussionists, beatboxers and physical therapists such as Ivan Levačić, Nenad Kovačić and Ante Prgin-Surka.

Reputation

The band’s slogan, “Zykopops …worse than Turbofolk!”, is associated with their notoriety in the Balkans.