Balans
{{Short description|Slovenian post-punk band}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = balans
| image =
| caption =
| origin = Ljubljana, Slovenija
| genre = post-punk, art punk
| years_active = 2013–today
| label = KAPA Records
ŠOP Records
| associated_acts = New Balkan Wife, exxxxtra*porno, dokumentakt, C9{{!}}2
| website = www.balans.bandcamp.com
| current_members = Kristin Čona
Andrej Pervanje
Jan Kmet
| past_members = Alessandro di Giampietro
}}
balans (stylised in lowercase) is a band from Ljubljana, Slovenia that has been producing music since 2013. Their first concert was held in Umag, Croatia at the first edition of Indirekt festival. Since 2016, they have been collaborating with Italian contemporary artist Alessandro di Giampietro, with whom they present an audiovisual concert experience to the audience.
History
Their debut physical album, titled Bunkerpop, was released in 2017 by the independent label ŠOP Records.{{Cite web|title=ŠOP Records bunkerpop|url=https://sop-records.org/?p=1448|access-date=2020-02-29|website=sop-records.org}}{{Cite web|title=Balans: Bunkerpop|url=http://www.mladina.si/181383/balans-bunkerpop/|access-date=2020-02-29|website=Mladina.si}}
In February 2018, ŠOP Records released also their second physical album titled Kva je s tabo... with critical acclaims.{{Cite web|date=2018-12-29|title=Naj Tolpe bumov 2018|url=https://radiostudent.si/Glasba/DJ-Grafiti/Naj-Tolpe-bumov-2018|access-date=2020-02-29|website=Radio Študent|language=sl}}{{Cite web|last=beehype|title=Slovenia|url=https://beehy.pe/best-of-2018/slovenia/|access-date=2020-02-29|website=beehype – Best Music from Around the World|language=en-US}} The same year they were chosen to perform on the 18th tour of Club Marathon, which Radio Študent organises in order to support and promote the domestic musical scene.{{Cite web|date=2018-10-16|title=Klubski maraton 2018|url=https://radiostudent.si/projekti/klubski-maraton-2018-4|access-date=2020-02-29|website=Radio Študent|language=sl}}
In January 2019, they were invited to perform at the 5th edition of Ment Festival in Ljubljana.{{Cite web|title=MENT Ljubljana {{!}} BALANS (Slovenia)|url=https://archive.ment.si/artists/balans-slovenia/|access-date=2020-02-29|language=en-US}} On May 13, their next physical album was released A vam je jasno (again at ŠOP Records), which they promoted with a concert tour from Vienna to Skopje. In that time, they were chosen as one of the INES Talent 2020{{Cite web|date=2019-12-06|title=INES#TALENT 2020 ANNOUNCEMENT|url=https://www.ment.si/ines-talents-2020/|access-date=2020-02-29|website=MENT Ljubljana|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-02-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229193218/https://www.ment.si/ines-talents-2020/|url-status=dead}} and got more positive reviews regarding their work.{{Cite web|last=beehype|date=2019-12-26|title=BEST ALBUMS OF 2019 – Part 3|url=https://beehy.pe/best-albums-of-2019-part-3/|access-date=2020-02-29|website=beehype – Best Music from Around the World}}{{Cite web|title=Ogolelo mesto in ljudje {{!}} SIGIC|url=http://www.sigic.si/ogolelo-mesto-in-ljudje.html|access-date=2020-02-29|website=www.sigic.si|language=sl}}{{Cite web|date=2019-12-28|title=Naj Tolpe bumov 2019|url=https://radiostudent.si/glasba/dj-grafiti/naj-tolpe-bumov-2019|access-date=2020-02-29|website=Radio Študent|language=sl}}{{Cite web|title=balans: a vam je jasno|url=https://www.mladina.si/191212/balans-a-vam-je-jasno/|access-date=2020-02-29|website=Mladina.si}}
After their tour, they were invited to an art residency at Layer House in Kranj and free to pick the collaborator(s) of their choice. Balans invited members of Belgrade independent label Krava 22 of the art space Kvaka 22 and recorded an album under the name New Balkan Wife.{{Cite web|title=Dvocikel sessions: NEW BALKAN WIFE - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb72uhSRKN8&ab_channel=Dvocikel|access-date=2020-12-21|website=www.youtube.com}}
In January 2020, they recorded their sixth studio album Sam pravm at Radio Študent Ljubljana. It was later released later in the year at the independent record label KAPA Records.{{Cite web|title=BALANS – sam pravm {{!}} www.kaparecords.com|url=https://kaparecords.com/releases/balans-sam-pravm/|access-date=2020-12-21|language=en}}
Members
- Andrej Pervanje – bass guitar, vocals, drum machine (2013–)
- Kristin Čona – vocals, electric guitar, bass guitar (2013–)
- Jan Kmet – drums, synthesiser, drum machine (2020–)
- Alessandro di Giampietro – visual representation of the band (2016–2020)
Discography
= Albums =
- Praske na parketu (self-released, 2015)
- LPT (self-released, 2016)
- Bunkerpop (ŠOP Records, 2017)
- Kva je s tabo ... včer sm šou na bus, voznik ni hotu, da grem, brez da plačam urbano, pa mu rečem sori, k ta mesec nisem dobil plače, pa mi reče jz tud ne, pol me on gleda kva je s tabo pa ga jz gledam kva je s tabo, pol grem na bus pa je vse v redu (ŠOP Records, 2018)
- A vam je jasno (ŠOP Records, 2019)
- Sam pravm (KAPA Records, 2020)
- Nima smisla (KAPA Records, 2023)
= Compilations =
- Klubski maraton 2018 (ZARŠ, 2018)
- Sounds from Slovenian Bedroom (ŠOP Records, 2018)
- Slovenian moMENT 2019 (MENT, 2019)
- Sounds from Slovenian Bedrooms II (ŠOP Records, 2019)
- Sounds from Slovenian Bedrooms III α & Ω (ŠOP Records, 2020)
- ŠOP xmas (s)hits (ŠOP Records, 2020)