GLAS.BA - Internet Music Magazine

Druyd of Zagreb are Dubravko Lapaine - Du (didgeridoo), Igor Ratkovic - Yr (acoustic guitar) and Mary Crnkovic-Pilas or BlackMary (vocals), and on this occasion they brought a stand with a large branch attached to it whose leaves had withered so as to, for a moment at least, draw the audience's attention to nature and ambience.
Lapaine held a very pleasant introductory speech at the onset stressing how the new sound is stretched widely in the sea of sounds and is sometimes difficult to find, but when one enters the expanse of space, a lot of material can be found within it and without further ado, performed the acclaimed "Misao iz daleka" or "Thought from Faraway", which was among the 10 best world music compositions at this year's World of Music Awards organized by We Are Listening. They performed the piece in quite a convincing manner which did not steer far from the version recently released on the "Kosmopterix" album, and interestingly enough, during this time, BlackMary sat besides them on the stage and crocheted! This reminded me of a concert by the Czech experimental free-noise weirdos Zabloudil in Mocvara held about 10 years ago whose female members knitted before the performance... I hope you have all heard the didgeridoo, and that there is no need to explain its specific hollow, brittle and rough sound, but for the moment there are few who have seen Lapaine in action. But, the way things have been going, there's still time.
He is a wizard who crams sounds of wind into three long, wooden wind instruments and modifies them at his will, forming them into subtle sound sculptures. It often reminds one of electronic effects, beats and diabolical samplers, but one can also feel how he improvises associative percussive sounds - tom, djembe, conga drums... On many instances, I almost disbelievingly searched the stage to see whether there was perhaps a sampler, but to no avail. The master is a master, the kind of which you will not find with much ease in this part of Europe...
Anyway, in the composition "Desert's thing", which began with a bombastic tribal rhythm in a very loud dance format, BlackMary stood up and showed the whole range of her vocals. She sings in an archaic way combining vox-extended technique with mute improvised arias which evoke the enormous desert expanse calling to the spirits of the past. She is always careful to be at least a foot away from the microphone, and her interpretation is very similar to Lisa Gerrard's early work from the Dead Can Dance opus. In their third piece "Magic Wood", Lapaine asked the audience for at least 7 minutes of concentration because, as is often the case, the deaf public near the bar were entertaining themselves by chatting. The combination of the didgeridoo and melodica sounded chamber-ish, almost like a bassoon, and the band performed a very complex and demanding composition in which Lisa (a Croatian Australian) sung the English text very well. For their last piece, they performed "Unwinding the wind", once again in an archaic way with vox-extended arias by BlackMary, who seems to have a trained voice (at least that's how it sounds), and throughout the entire performance, Igor Ratkovic was constantly based on his subtle acoustic guitar whose sound often had the timbre and expression of the oud or shargija (Bosnian traditional instrument). To compare them to the folk gothic ambient band Tamerlan from Belgrade would not be out of place and they are very similar in terms of interpreting a fusion of neoclassical, folk and world music.
For the duration of the half hour concert, a crammed Sax could be convinced of what the "new sound" really is and will most probably remember this performance for a long time to come as it was throughout quite a rarity in a sea of pop, kitsch and outright copy/paste imitations.

by Horvi - Vladimir Horvat

Duboko More - Big Blog

(english translation) Last night in “Stara Trešnja” Circus of Wind was performed by Dubravko Lapaine – our didgeridoo musician (?!), dancer of didgeridoo music (?!), actor (?!) of a monodrama of vibrations, poet (?!) with tubes, searcher of the meaning of our pre-beginnings, recorder of vibrations and poetry, creator of mandala by wind, acrobat of the wind…. I simply must admit I am still so impressed that I don’t know where to begin.
I cannot resist the need to express in words the entirety of this experience, although with words only it is simply not possible. Words are not a medium for telling these stories. When attending this performance, you need to bring your body and head emptied of everything. You need to have absolutely no expectations and be ready to accept what ever happens within the walls of the theatre.
After a very short time, you realize your brain is simply removed as a means for processing perceptions and the entire experience of the performance influence on your each of your senses individually, that you vibrate and through those vibrations receive information about the context of the stories from long ago, essence of the pre-beginning, and that you are no longer a being of the Earth, rather you are the earth itself. You breathe – you are the wind. You burn – you are fire. You vibrate – you are fear. You are the tube through which air travels – you are the didgeridoo and you vibrate in your own way.
This experience is so special, that it should not be missed. The next day you feel as if you exaggerated in the gym. You have slight muscle-ache because your whole body vibrated during the performance, each muscle on its own and each cell of the body by itself.
How this prehistoric (if that’s what it could be called at all) music affects the body, can best be seen on the performer. Agile like a wild cat, with a body that can do literally anything, with unbelievable control over the muscles of his torso… this performance was one of the best demonstrations of the beauty of the human body when carried by its owner through all sorts of actions, when it is beautiful in its natural self, when it is carried about with freedom of movement.
So my dear friends, if you would like to see how dances of the abdominal and back muscles look (yes, you read well – and back muscles), don't miss this performance. You won’t believe what a developed diaphragm could do.
This text is already long and I still didn’t go over one layer of this multilayered performance. Nothing was said about the poetry of the performance, the scenery, nothing about the images shown parallel on screen, nothing about the make-up, the design and its direct connection with life, nothing about the instruments and another thousand nothings. Basically, you will have to continue on your own. I tried to convey only a small part of the experience. And you yourself must join this whirlwind …..Starting at www.lapaine.com
who knows where this story will take you.


Cirkus vjetra Dubravka Lapainea
Sinoæ je u Staroj Trešnji održan Cirkus vjetra Dubravka Lepanea - našeg glazbenika (?!) na didgeridoou, plesaèa (?!) na didgeridoo glazbu, glumca (?!) u monodrami s vibracijama, pjesnika (?!) cijevi, tražitelja smisla (?!) u prapoèetku, snimatelja vibracija i poezije, stvaratelja mandala vjetrom, akrobate na vjetru… Jednostavno moram napisati da sam još uvijek toliko pobuðena da ne znam odakle da poènem. Ne mogu odoljeti potrebi da vam rijeèima opišem ukupnost doživljaja, a to rijeèima jednostavno ne ide. Rijeèi nisu medij za prenošenje ove prièe. Na ovu predstavu treba donijeti tijelo i posve praznu glavu bez oèekivanja, spremnu prihvatiti što god da se u prostoru kazališta dogaða. Nakon vrlo kratkog vremena shvatite da vam je mozak jednostavno odstranjen kao sredstvo za obraðivanje percepcija i da se èitav doživljaj predstave svodi na vaša osjetila autonomno, da vibrirate i tako dobivate informacije o sadržaju prièa iz davnine, suštine iz prapoèetaka, da više niste biæe na zemlji nego zemlja sama, da dišete - da ste vjetar, da gorite – da ste vatra, da brenèite – da ste strah, da ste cijev kroz koju prolazi zrak – da ste diðeridoo i da brenèite na svoj osobiti naèin. To je tako poseban doživljaj, da ga ne bi trebalo propustiti. Sutradan se osjeæate kao da ste pretjerali u vježbaonici. Imate blagu upalu mišiæa jer vam je na predstavi vibriralo èitavo tijelo, svaki mišiæ posebno, svaka stanica tijela. Kako ova praiskonska glazba, ako se uopæe tako može nazvati, djeluje na ljudsko tijelo, najbolje se vidi na izvoðaèu. Gibak poput velike maèke s tijelom koje može doslovno sve, s nevjerojatnom kontrolom naroèito nad mišiæima torza…Ova je predstava bila jedna od najboljih demonstracija ljepote ljudskog tijela kada je prirodno, sposobno nositi vlasnika kroz svekolika dogaðanja, kada je lijepo u prirodnosti, kada je obijesno u slobodi pokreta. I, dragi moji, želite li vidjeti kako treba izgledati ples trbušnih i leðnih ploèica (dobro ste proèitali i leðnih), nemojte propustiti ovu predstavu. Ne biste vjerovali što može izvježbana dijafragma. Tekst je veæ dugaèak, a ja nisam obradila gotovo ni jedan sloj ove mnogoslojne predstave. NIšta o poeziji u predstavi, ništa o scenografiji, ništa o popratnim filmovima, ništa o šminki, ništa o disanju kao izravnoj vezi sa životom, ništa o instrumetu i još tisjuæu ništa. Jednostavno, dalje æete morati sami. Ja sam vam nastojala prenijeti djelièak svog doživljaja. A, vi se sami morate ukljuèiti u ovaj vihor …Krenite s Web-om www.lapaine.com Tko zna gdje æe vas ova prièa odvesti.

Blog DUBOKO MORE, 09/02/08

written by Nada Šoštar

Katja Ceglar, director of Kulturni dom Krsko

Druyd, a very unusual and interesting music group from Zagreb, Croatia, performed in the Kulturni dom Krsko (Slovenia) on the 18th of October. The music of Druyd can be quite simply called world music. On one hand, there are several elements in the didgeridoo-guitar-melodica-vocals combination that can be found in different world music styles. However, on the other hand, we can find some parallels even with the funky groove in the rhythm and the sound effects of Du's didgeridoo. Du, definitely one of the most prolific and amazing didgeridoo players in the world, creates an acoustic environment of different music instruments just by playing his didgeridoo. He gives the rhythm and bass line to Druyd, which from time to time sounds very groovy. And at other times creates an ultra subtle connection to the guitar and vocals. The wide expression of the didgeridoo's sound is upgraded by great acoustic guitar playing (Yr), occasionally accompanied by melodica. All these elements complement the clear and opened vocals (BlackMary). Druyd performs an amazing and unusually consistent and harmonious sound combination, which - in spite of a trio performing - sounds very rich and unpredictable. The band is very well rehearsed – which is why their live acoustic performance is so strong in expression and sensual at the same time. A great concert by Druyd in Kulturni dom Krsko!

Katja Ceglar

Vjesnik, 7 i 8. 10. 2008.

(english translation) All those who attended Sunday's two concerts that were part of the "Nebo" world music festival, simply could not hide their enthusiasm, and exited the Student's Center richer for one nice musical experience. Both performances reached the very depth of performing arts. Unlike Keita, who spread his smile over the marimba, Dubravko Lapaine blew his mystics through the didgeridoo. Lapaine, Croatia's didgeridoo master, was suggestive, telling in a unique way, his story of "releasing himself from a box" – a path in which his soul releases from the material boundaries and from the walls put up by the mind. Half of Lapaine's torso was painted white, and half was black, underlying the separation that pulled through the whole performance in which he played about ten didgeridoos that differed in looks and sound. Each had its own color, its own part, and it is just unbelievable what Lapaine can extract from these tube-like instruments of murmuring sounds. Whisper, escape, scream, green, blue, universe, ground, fire, water… [B. Trkulja]


(hrvatski original) Svi koji su u nedjelju prisustvovali dvama koncertima u sklopu 7. festivala svjetske glazbe »Nebo« jednostavno nisu mogli skriti svoje odusevljenje, a i iz Studentskoga centra su otisli bogatiji za jedno lijepo iskustvo glazbe. Oba nastupa dosegnula su su prema samom iskonu svirackoga umijeca... Za razliku od Keitaa koji je širio svoj osmijeh po marimbi, Dubravko Lapainea je upuhivao svoju mistiku u didgeridoo. Lapaine, hrvatski majstor didgeridooa, bio je sugestivan ispricavsi na upecatljiv nacin pricu o »izlasku iz kutije« - putu na kojem se duh oslobadja iz omedjenosti materijom i ograda koje si postavlja um. Pola torza Lapaine je obijelio, a pola je namazao u crno, podcrtavši tako pricu o podijeljenosti koja se provlacila kroz cijeli nastup tijekom kojeg je svirao desetak, i izgledom i zvukom razlicitih didgeridooa. Svaki od njih ima svoju boju, svaki svoju tocku, a upravo je nevjerojatno što Lapaine iz tih cjevastih instrumenata dubokoga mrmorecega zvuka uspijeva izvuci. Sapat, bijeg, krik, zeleno, plavo, svemir, zemlja, vatra, voda.... [B. Trkulja]

Katja Ceglar

Junior's Cave Online Magazine

Sometimes a band comes along that offers something so new, so refreshing, and so unique that missing out on their music would be a crime. Many cool alternative bands get lost in the shuffle of average joe bands. This next band will certainly need not worry about this as they are making music that makes them instantly stand out above the masses. Who is this band? Meet DRUYD in this fun and exclusive spotlight with our Webzine.

Isaac: We'd love to know about your inspirations growing up. I hear so many influences in your music. How old were you when you first discovered music? Is there any kind of musical history in your family?
Druyd: We all discovered music when we were very young but the career paths we took in the future were quite different. Du had many mathematicians and musicians in his family, however, there is no musical history in Yr's and BlackMary's family.
Isaac: What drew you to pick up an instrument in the first place?
Druyd: When Yr was in 1st class, he wanted to take up guitar lessons at the local music school. However, he was told that his fingers were too short and as such, gave up for a while. His father then made him take tamburica (a rather small Croatian stringed instrument) lessons when he was in 3rd class and he attended for a year. Then at the age of 16, he taught himself to play the guitar and never looked back. Du was attracted to tubes by his sheer curiosity and fascination.
BlackMary first discovered the piano at the age of 5 at a factory where her mother worked as cleaning lady and from the moment she touched it, decided she had to learn how to play this bewitching instrument.
Isaac: As you hit your teenage years, did you know that this was what you would be doing for the rest of your life?
Druyd: She says yes and they say no. When BlackMary hit puberty she chose to do a double major at university - Music and French. She wasn't sure she wanted to be singer until her second year when on July 7th, 1990, The Three Tenors held their historical concert in the Baths of Caracalla in Rome on the eve of the World Cup and that was it.
Isaac: Is there a performer in any genre of pop culture that you would like to work with?
Druyd: We don't really think about stuff like that as most of our time is taken up with work for Druyd. However, having said that, we would love to work with any hyper positive, looney, innovative workaholics. Those are our friends, those are our space comrades.
However, as BlackMary is an avid knitter (she knits on stage when the boys play instrumental pieces) it would be cool if a well known knitwear designer designed a special outfit for her that she could knit while on stage.
Isaac: Who are some musicians that you really like, present or past?
Druyd: The boys like all hyper positive, looney, innovative workaholic musicians as mentioned above, with whom they would gladly be cooked along with in a large space cauldron.
And anyone who knows BlackMary well will undoubtedly roll their eyes and without any hesitation reply - Eva Cassidy.
Isaac: What is your ultimate goal with your music career?
Druyd: We don't really believe in any ultimate goals – our music making is not a means to the goal but is a goal in itself. In general, we have a goal to fulfill everyday and feel that this will lead us in the future to a place which at this point in time is impossible to forsee.
Isaac: What has been some of the obstacles it has taken to get this far in your career?
Druyd: Short fingers, bad breath and lack of musicality. Just kidding! Seriously, for BlackMary, as she is the mother of umpteenth children, it has been trying to find a balance between her music career and family. For Yr, he is constantly, abnormally ill. And for Du, it's been his bad breath! Again, just kidding! Du has had many obstacles which he failed to realise and therefore he is a kind of no-obstacle phenomena!
Isaac: Would you recommend this "field" to others who are aspiring to be musicians like you?
Druyd: Nothing is as rewarding as doing something you love, putting everything you have into it and then knowing that others appreciate your effort. We feel that this is not connected solely to the music field but to all fields. The real answer is always an individual one and a person can answer it through the consciousness or that is, in being honest to oneself, never in a cliched, always in a deep way.
Isaac: Describe one piece of advice you've have been given to by others in the music industry.
Druyd: Do a quality studio recording as soon as possible, create a website and put your music on the internet. We think it's really important if you want to be a successful musician to be "out there", to make your music as accessible as possible to your fans and people in the music industry. You need to be played in order to be heard and be heard in order to be played.
Isaac: What genre of music do you consider most of your music?
Druyd: It's hard to put our music into any specific category but we call it "Space Music" or „Heavy Wood Music". However, if you want the usual terms, our music could be considered world music, ambient, new age or accoustic.
Isaac: What has been your favorite piece of work?
Druyd: Magic Wood, Unwinding the Wind, Desert Stinkyroom, The Spatialist, Misao iz Daleka, Valso de sufokato.
Isaac: How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
Druyd: On the MUSIC section of our website www.druydband.com there are whole length previews of all of our singles and it's regularly updated with each new song. It's even possible to download all of the songs by visiting our ReverbNation page www.reverbnation.com/druydband . A few months old Du's solo album Kosmopterix with two guest songs by Druyd is available at CD Baby http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dubravkolapaine1 and Bandcamp http://dubravkolapaine.bandcamp.com/album/kosmopterix. Our first full length release is planned for June 2010.
Isaac: Is there anyone you'd like to acknowledge for offering financial or emotional support?
Druyd: We would like to thank you for your support!
Isaac: Any last words?
Druyd: Blessed are those who slip. And fall into wonderland. For wonderlands are easy to miss. And so is bliss.

By: Isaac Davis Jr., BGS, MBA

ROCKonNET - Webzine for Audiofiles

Krško / Kulturni dom
29. 1. 2010

If you have a fear of space travel and its expanse, you just ain't ready for it. The Club of the Cultural Centre Krsko for a moment became the Black Hole, or concentrated light that engulfed everything into itself. Druyd, the "Heavy Wood" band from Zagreb as they like to call themselves, played. With Dubravko Lapaine on the didgeridoo, Mary Crnkovic on vocals and Igor Ratkovic on guitar. With a complete production, a relaxed and unpretentious approach, and above all an understanding that music, in Dubravko's, words belongs to no one, they opened a world of vibrations to us. Dubravko performs so many sounds on his didgeridoo that he covers a whole rhythm section, which for most bands needs three members.

His unbelievable abilities on the didgeridoo surpasses every preconceived idea – his beats and rhythms pull in the "other side" while at the same time bring us down to earth, the ethereal voice of the singer touches the heart, while Igor binds everything together melodically. They all play together – and each on his own. Dubravko has transformed the traditional sound of the didgeridoo, which is no longer just a "tribal instrument", and yet creates "tribal" worlds. Don't quite comprehend? I suggest a visit to one of their web sites and watching Desert Stinkyroom to get a clearer picture. An explanation of their musical creative process from a reasonable point of view is no easy task, and in a way it's something that I don't even want to do. Which is why I recommend you turn off reasoning, press play and then tell me whether I'm right or not. In between their compositions, we listened to Dubravko's stories from outer space, which made us laugh while at the same time created jumps in thought, which lead us on Druyd's journey. This is not music that you merely listen to, but rather feel, you cannot define it mentally. At first glance chaotic, incomprehensible, even with a shock effect, but if you let yourself go at the end as a "listener" you find yourself smiling, somewhere out there, hanging in space. Bon voyage!

by Breda Špacapan

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