As 2023 enters its final stretch, this here show will inevitably fall prey to seasons greeting and holiday sugar overdose. But not yet. This week, Balkan Express makes a stop in Dubrovnik, the once fiercely independent city state which has long now been a part of Croatia and takes a look at Silente.

Silente are a somewhat unusual pop-rock act. In addition to a bog-standard guitar, bass, drums and vocal lineup, there is a very prominent violin and several vocals more. This makes them stand out from the admittedly crowded Croatian pop rock scene and together with their lyrics makes for a very recognizable sound.

The band hails from the southernmost Croatian city of Dubrovnik. And while their official biography lists 2013 as their founding year, the band has had a previous iteration, which was instrumental in its creation. In fact, it was the YouTube videos they recorded in their amateur phase that contributed vastly to the success they met further down the road. So, unofficially, the band dates back to the year 2006.

Come 2013, Silente released their first official single and video and immediately hit gold. Terca za tišinu (A Third for Quiet) was a runaway success in Croatian corner of YouTube. This led to the release of their first album Lovac na čudesa (Miracle Hunter) and launched the band into an orbit no one expected. Least of all band members themselves.

Not all was well after the band found fame. In fact, following the release of their sophomore album Silente broke apart in 2016, citing not only creative difficulties but also lack of anything meaningful to say. Needless to say that the fandom was devastated.

But as 2018 rolled around, Silente re-formed. With a changed lineup, a new purpose and richer for the experience, they released their third album Malo magle malo mesečine (A Little Fog, A Little Moonlight) that same year, to great commercial and critical success.

Silente are brothers Tibor and Sanin Karamehmendović, who also author the lyrics, drummer Ivuša Guljan vocalist Lara Viktorija Ilić, violinist and vocalist Ivana Culjak, with Šimun Končič on keyboards and backing vocals. Last year, Silente released their their fourth studio album, with a Led-Zeppelinesque title "IV”, signaling that this time around, there are still things that need to be said.

And this is all the time we have for today. Check out Silente, on YouTube, Spotify and wherever you get your music from. Balkan Express will be back next week

—
Balkan Express brings you the latest and/or the greatest in music from the Balkans. On air every Tuesday at 11am on Ara City Radio, it is hosted by Aljaž aka @pengovsky who once did the world a solid and vowed never to sing again in public. Which is how he ended up doing radio.