Years on from his momentous show at the Križanke Open-Air Theatre, visionary Slovenian producer Gramatik is finally returning to Ljubljana to break up the summer heat with his fresh instrumental beats and smooth grooves. Expect a joyful, body-moving collision of electronic production, hip-hop swing, soul warmth and glitchy precision – equal parts dancefloor fuel and cinematic musical journey.
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Gramatik’s finely honed ear for banging tunes and love of music led him from his earliest beginning on the Slovenian Coast all the way to the USA and sold-out gigs around the world, perfecting his craft along the way. His signature music style is based on ceaseless digging through crates of classic funk, soul, jazz, and blues records, filtered through the beatmaker precision of greats such as DJ Premier and RZA. The resulting sound slides smoothly between glitch-hop, chill-out, electro-soul, and bass music without losing its human touch, while his themes have always carried a point of view, too – from pro-digital-rights stances and adoption of cutting-edge tech to a broader philosophy that music should circulate freely, closer to open-source culture than closed gates. He’s also remained strongly supportive of promising young artists from around the world, showcasing them via his label Lowtemp and at his shows.
As witnessed by anyone who’s caught one of Gramatik’s landmark gigs at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, his past visits to Ljubljana, or his festival sets at events like Coachella and Lollapalooza, live is where it all locks into place. The global star has a long-standing reputation for big, celebratory shows showcasing his prolific output, from early releases to high-profile collabs and new bangers off his latest album, last year’s Aequoreus. Upon his return to Šiška, expect the full Gramatik experience: hard-hitting beats, silken grooves, and rumbling bass lines, washing over the audience and getting them to move as one.
Gisaza and Kanomotis, two members of the younger generation of producers from the coast, will provide support. The former’s musical output is characterised by a blend of dub, hip-hop, and Middle Eastern influences, alongside a passion for experimentation and exploration. His releases can be found on Gramatik’s Lowtemp label, as well as with DeepEnd – the local standard-bearers of sound system culture in our region – and elsewhere.
Kanomotis, also a DeepEnd collaborator, is the creative outlet of Jan Bajc Funa, better known as .čunfa. Under this moniker, he wades through more sinister, minimalist dub, dubstep, and riddim bogs with plenty of bass-heavy oomph and veteran skills honed through years of actively co-shaping the local scene.
Tickets on sale on Thursday, Feb 12 at 10 am online and at Eventim outlets.
Organisation: Kino Šiška.
