Nov 24/08
Magyar memories
I’ve always had this mix of fascination and love for Budapest. It’s easily one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and everyone I know who’s been there comes back loving the place.
I first visited the city in 1998 as a tender backpacker. Back then it was an exotic location, the furthest “east” I had ever traveled. These were the days before low-cost airlines, when I was still counting change to pay for coffee and skipping lunch to buy a train ticket. Budapest seemed like forever away.
I remember a city still shedding signs of its pre-1989 communist rule and one in the midst of tense parliamentary elections . There was a surprisingly cool nightlife, a dangerous roller-coaster, many good restaurants and warm baths. Most of all the people we met had a great attitude and an incomprehensible language.
When I returned to Canada a month later I remember thinking that the two B’s were my favourite European cities: Barcelona and Budapest.
Ten years later, as in a few weeks ago, I got to visit the city again. It goes without saying that much has changed but the city remains beautiful and a great destination.
Musically-speaking, Hungary has stayed with me over the years:
In 2000 I found myself living in Paris for the first time. The Buddha Bar was big, as were its compilations. The Hungarian electro group Anima Sound System’s track, ‘68, kicked-off the first volume of the Buddha Bar’s Party album.
Those who knew me at that time may recognize Yonderboi’s intro to his album, Shallow And Profound, as something that led-off a few year-2000 “Matt mixtapes”.
Lastly, a track by Amorf Ördögök off Ugar Record’s Magyar UGAR compilation. Both Yonderboi and Anima Sound System were (are?) signed with them.
Yonderboi – Intro
Anima Sound System – ‘68
Amorf Ördögök – Betyar A Holdon
Common, you can’t be serious. No one ever listens to these bands here in Budapest, Amorf Ördögök are dead since years, Yonderboi is quite hated, as is Anima. Check out a few real hungarian bands, that are hip in the scene here. Look on myspace for:
Jacked
Hangmás Zenekar
The Kolin
The Moog
Panic Radio
Audrey Rapburn
Datascent
Tits & Clits
or some more mainstream stuff, like
Péterffy Bori
The Carbonfools
Belga
just research a bit.
Good, I’m glad someone finally said, “hey, Matt, you have no idea what you’re talking about.”
I don’t pretend to know anything about the Budapest music scene after spending one night in the place this year and a few many years back. Yonderboi and Anima are two Hungarian bands that were quite popular in Paris several years ago and my only reference to somewhat contemporary music there..
Thanks for the suggestions. It’s harder and more time consuming to research these things than you think – I just write about what musical references catch my ear as I pass through these places.
If you’d like to do a guest post that’d be great..
Cheers,
Matt
I like the “get with it, such and such bands are quite hated around here” remark. I thought you just either like or dislike music, huh?
Great posts on Hungarian music, both of them.
amin DADA:
r u a hungarian music snob or what? anima sound system still a big favourite in here, and nobody hates yonderboi!!! what a joke…every hungarian proud for him.
and, artists like datascent or audrey rapburn (what a shitty name) just some promising youngsters without any background or record, so don’t be a jerk.
u seems like an indiefan (so am I) but you forgot bands which r really well-known across europe like:
- irie maffia
- pannonia all-stars ska orchestra
- brains
- dj bootsie quartet
- harcsa veronika or palya bea
and, oh yes:
- zagar
- riddim colony
- skc, chris.su, jade
If you’d like to do a guest post with some tracks by any of the above groups please let me know!
Cheers,
Matt
thank you for the references. reading comments like #1 by amin dada helps you to understand a bit of the hungarian psyche as well as the logo of ugar records, the label that has by the way released most of the mentioned artists like amorf ördögök, anima sound system, dj bootsie, gabor deutsch, marcel, yonderboi, zagar a.o.
Nice to hear you back!
Really
yeah, negativeness and snobbishness might be faults, and representative of hungarian psyche, but thhat also stands for the ethic that Magyar Ugar sets… I’ll send you a guest post later. Hope you will find it useful.
I would also recommend for you to check out realistic crew or esclin syndo. two very potent rising bands.
Irie Maffia- good stuff
Zagar- crap. utter crap.
Audrey Rapburn- are you kiddin me? not only an awful name but hard to come by worse music or less talent in regards to singing and/or rapping. mind you, I do not even know what she is trying to do but her voice makes me cringe and her lyrics make me want to chuck myself out of the window.
NEO- one of the best bands in Hungary. lyrics could be better though. and they do tend to be too poppy at times.
Jacked- are alright i suppose, though I am not a big rock fan.
Panic Radio- again quite ok to bop your head to
Amber Smith: these guys are pros. but they tend to go down the “i want to slit my wrists” road a bit too much for my taste. just my 10cents
I know nothing about Hungarian music. However, I do own Yonderboi’s “Shallow and Profound.” I bought it because I LOVE the Paul Legere remix of “Padabam” and I was curious about the original. It’s a nice CD.