...... Brother of Judo and the Others ......

23 January 2026

Zidar Betonsky - I gledam i sanjam i ne dam LP (2026)

“During the final months of the war in Croatia, the city of Split witnessed the formation of a trio supergroup composed of underground musicians and enthusiasts, making it one of the first Split-based band lineups without a live drummer. Edi, Zdeslav, and Hrvoje brought with them valuable experience from their earlier involvement in notable local bands such as Rapa Nui, Mistery Lapsus, and Touch Friction, and were ready to embark on a new, more aggressive and ambitious venture. That same summer, they recorded a six-song demo—later forming the A-side of the record—under DIY conditions. Shortly thereafter, they performed their now-cult concert at the Zlatna Vrata Theatre, titled In Memoriam Jimi Hendrix, in the fall of 1995. As their audience began to grow, aided by the demo and a measure of goodwill, the band connected with Marko Brecelj in Koper, who organized their first mini-tour, alongside Ruzina Means Rust—who would join Zidar Betonsky the following year. In February 1996, they performed in Ilirska Bistrica, and recordings from that concert were later pressed as the B-side of the release I sanjam i gledam i ne dam. Although the material was recorded at home under guerrilla-style DIY conditions, the record sounds surprisingly fresh, well produced, and clearly articulated. Looking back nearly thirty years later, it has retained its charm and persuasive power. The unique position of Zidar Betonsky in the history of Split’s underground scene later enabled collaborations between its members and Urban & 4, most notably on the album Žena dijete and the hit “Black Tattoo.” In addition, the members went on to realize dozens of successful artistic projects spanning contemporary theatre, sound art, and music production—further underscoring both the significance of the band and the enduring talent of its individual members. Composed of a series of authentic band artifacts, and featuring collaborative design by Vinko Pelicarić and Igor Mihovilović, the lavishly produced vinyl edition has been meticulously restored sonically by Višeslav Laboš and Ivan Jakić, while the accompanying texts on the band are authored by Ivan Ramljak and Igor Mihovilović. The record documents the group’s first year of activity, when they operated as a trio. The vinyl itself includes two bonus tracks—cover versions of songs by Bauhaus and Pink Floyd (not available on digital platforms)—and is released in two limited editions: “concrete grey–white splatter” and “crystal clear.” Released as the first audio edition of the media project Tajni Split, the record is a collaborative effort involving five additional independent labels: Guranje s litice, Dare The Divine, Geenger Records, Slušaj najglasnije!, and slovenian Debila Records. The album is issued on the 30th anniversary of the aforementioned concert in Ilirska Bistrica, Slovenia, where the band performed on February 10, 1996. The band’s pioneering and distinctive sound blends the emotional intensity of 1980s cold wave and goth rock with the bitterness and darkness of Split in the 1990s, filtered through the unmistakable abrasive guitar aesthetic of the late Steve Albini and his protégés. It represents an indispensable rescued fragment of a nearly lost chapter in the history of domestic alternative rock and electro-industrial music. Zidar Betonsky is performing again in its original lineup, and the record is released three months after their spectacular reunion in Split in November 2025, following a 25-year creative hiatus.”