BVANDŽIJA - Dvojezična ploča - LP

The public and media frenzy concerning bilingual plates in Vukovar served as a trigger for forming a duo named Bvandžija, who produced the album with an effective and ambiguous title Dvojezična ploča (Bilingual plate). The perfect timing and an already present leitmotif concerning the bilingual issue in Slavonia served as a basis for musical fruition that brings forth this and many current problems between these two nations: Croatian and Serbian.

Bvandžija project is the product of a fruitful collaboration between two hip-hopers. One of them is Kandžija (real name Stjepko Galović) from Osijek, who successfully blazes the trail on Croatian hip hop scene with his committed lyrics combined with humour in order to break down the most common stereotypes. He is reputed to be one of the most talented freestylers who unpretentiously performs not only at festivals such as Exit and InMusic, but also in just some local club. He has four recognizable albums, Narodnjaci, Koktel od rakije, Zlatne žbice and Folder s golim ženama.

The other member of this, to say the least, interesting Balkan connection is MC Bvana from Belgrade (real name Nikola Ćosić). He started his career in 2000, and since then, he is building his distinctive music style and working on numerous publications, as well as collaborating with other members of Serbian rap scene such as Ajs Nigrutin, Prti Bee Gee, Timijah, etc.

Their different, and almost contrary, nationalities did not stop brothers by microphone and verse to join their forces and offer a release to the audience that consists not only of songs with a specific sound – a 90 year old minstrel is featured on one of the songs – but also has a humorous rhyme that speaks of the problems in this area in a very specific way.

Dvojezična ploča was originally published in April 2014 as an audio-digital edition for Zlatne žbice label, managed by Kandžija and his colleague Toxara. This mini album, composed of six songs, draws attention with the titles of its songs such as Hipster sa sela and Ležeći poližimijajci, alluring the listener to pay attention to lyrics which go beyond the raw and already present beats and bass lines.

In September 2014, Dvojezična ploča was released as tangible issue, or better said fragile issue, as a 12 inch vinyl record for PDV Records. The album was enforced by the musicians from both sides, such as Toxara, Kandžija’s permanent associate from Donji Miholjac, and Mrki (Prti Bee Gee) and Furio Đunta on Belgrade’s side of the microphone. Anyone who likes provocative and also humorous rhyme, with the aim to draw attention on every day and current themes and problems, will find this album as a material worth listening to. This collaboration was about reconciliation and not only mere truce between two nations, and Bvandžija tried to accomplish that goal via their best known medium, music, having in mind that music connects people.