Bura by Raphael Rogiński & Ružičnjak Tajni

 

Raphael Rogiński is a conduit to all sorts of musical pursuit he can and once again he proves there is no comparison between him and anyone who can prove otherwise. 

His new project is an album with a group of Serbian musicians - Ružičnjak Tajni. 

14 compositions are either modern, even quite experimental modulations, interpretations of traditional Serbian songs and his own compositions which are based on Sufi poetry which was translated into Serbian. 

The company of musicians here is just astounding. Guest appearances of Piotr Zabrodzki and Mila Gavrilovič are also worth taking a note of as they add up to the immensely rich and deep mastery of this work. 

It is not only instruments as such but also the vocal work is important. After all these are songs and vocal tradition in Serbia is huge. But don't get swayed by the fact of ethnomusicological landscape that this album is set into. Even if you don't know much about the Serbian musical heritage you can enjoy this album nonetheless. 

One angle is a poetic aspect of it. The need to stop and just absorb each composition. There is no rush, no forceful pressure put on the listener to be able to understand the layers of how meaning disperses itself over each of the tracks.

The other angle is an invitation to feel and hear different levels of how musical this album. There is main façade of traditional arrangements. But behind this foreground there is so much more. That is why there is so much depth in the spirit of musical exploration - conscious and respectful towards the original.

The next angle might be how gentle this music is. In the times when we are overstimulated in a sensory way - this album is an invitation to take things slower and absorb it deeply.

 

At the end of June 2025, the Krakow-based label Instant Classic will release the album "Bura" by Raphael Rogiński and the group Ružičniak Tajni, which includes Serbian artists: Svetlana Spajić, Marina Džukljev and Tijana Golubović. The album also features guest appearances by Piotr Zabrodzki (LXMP, Mitch & Mitch) and Mila Gavrilovič.

Ružičniak Tajni is a unique meeting of Polish and Serbian musical traditions, the result of cooperation between artists seeking new forms of expression based on the cultural heritage of Central and Eastern Europe. The initiator of the project is Raphael Rogiński - a Polish guitarist, composer and researcher, known for his experimental approach to traditional music and his love of improvisation.

In the project, he is accompanied by three outstanding Serbian artists whose work is a conscious combination of local traditions and modern expression:

Svetlana Spajić – a renowned ethnomusicologist and singer, specializing in old vocal techniques and archaic song forms. Her interpretations combine authenticity of message with sensitivity to the contemporary context.

Marina Džukljev – a pianist moving in the area of ​​improvised and experimental music, known for deconstructing harmonic and rhythmic structures.

Tijana Golubović – a violinist and vocalist, drawing from folk performance practice, while simultaneously exploring new sonic narratives.

Their collaboration resulted in the album “Bura”, recorded in Serbia in November 2024. The title refers to the characteristic wind from the northern Balkans, symbolizing both the forces of nature and the cultural tensions shaping the identity of the region. The album is a musical encounter of traditional Serbian songs – reconstructed on the basis of oral traditions and archival materials – with modern means of expression. Another key element are Raphael Rogiński’s original compositions, inspired by Sufi poetry, which was translated into Serbian in the 19th century.

The sound layer of the project is based on the dynamic interaction of voice, stringed instruments and piano. Spajić brings the depth of archaic vocal techniques, Golubović combines the violin idiom with the vocal one, Džukljev creates complex harmonic structures, and Rogiński transforms the guitar tradition, enriching it with microtonality and modality.

The Ružičniak Tajni concert tour will take place in May and June 2025, covering five Serbian cities. The inaugural concert is scheduled for May 16 in Belgrade.

The project was created with the support of the Polish Institute in Belgrade. The concert tour is carried out in cooperation with the Adam Mickiewicz Institute as part of the cultural programme accompanying the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2025. 

credits

releases June 27, 2025

Raphael Rogiński – guitar

Svetlana Spajic - vocals

Tijana Stankovič - violin, vocals

Marina Džukljev - piano

Mila Gavrilovič - vocals in the song "Miriš"

Piotr Zabrodzki - synthesizer

Danijel Vukovic – sound engineer

Piotr Zabrodzki - mix

Joe Talia – mastering

Recorded at "Future Nature Sound" studio, Pancevo, Serbia

Graphic design: Dagna Wrażeń

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