Today is the final episode of the fourth season of Balkan Express. Summer beckons and strolling through Balkan wheat-fields like Russel Crowe or Theresa May is only days away for this moderator. But to get there, we'll take a fresh look at the band that started it all. Today, this here show once again gives you Koala Voice.

If memory serves, at least in the way that previous iterations of our website decidedly do not, Koala Voice were the very first band featured on Balkan Express. That was back in the early days of the pandemic. In the mean time, the band released two more albums and have morphed from an up-and-coming band into a mainstay of Slovenian indie scene.

If you had to label them, Koala Voice would be best described as a disco-punk band. They tend not to take themselves too seriously, but they're not in it just for shits and giggles, either. Each album and each song tells a story, even though intent may not be obvious at first sight.

Koala Voice released their first album, Kangaroo's Court, back in 2015, so nearly a decade ago. And they spawned five years before that, using their first five-year plan to establish an on-stage presence and a fanbase, which they did. And are now reaping substantial benefits, as they are practically a household name. At least for younger Slovenians.

Following on success of their initial two albums the band started touring. And gigs took them outside Slovenia, as far Germany, Russia, and Czech republic. Album three, titled Woo Horsie followed in 2018. And their 2021 album, titled simply Plata/Record, won them the industry award Zlata piščal or Golden Flute.

In the crazy world of digital music, Koala Voice seem to be well equipped to tackle it head on. With over four million downloads and five full-length albums to their name, they are an indie powerhouse unto themselves. And they are putting all of that to good use. Even today, they keep recording tracks that go from deeply personal to social and political commentary within a mater of minutes.

Koala Voice are: vocalist and bass player Manca Trampuš, drummer Miha Prašnikar, guitarist Domen Don Holc, and Tilen Prašnikar as second bass. They are are no stranger to limelight. How could it, as they are now already veterans of the Slovenian music scene. After they released Plata in 2021, they spent three years working on new material, finally coming up with Auf Wiedersehen, in March this year.

And that's all the time we have for today. Check out Koala Voice on YouTube, Spotify and wherever you get your music from and Balkan Express will be back… possibly.

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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