Bastion (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Kiril Džajkovski, Toše Pop Simonov, Ana Kostovska |
| Defunct | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Skopje , Yugoslavia |
| Products | Synth-pop music |
Bastion () emerged as a synth-pop ensemble from Yugoslavia, originating in Skopje in 1982. Despite their brief existence, Bastion made a significant impression within the 1980s Yugoslav rock scene.
The group was initially created by keyboardist Kiril Džajkovski, guitarist Toše Pop Simonov, and vocalist Ana Kostovska; shortly thereafter, Simonov was replaced by bassist Ljubomir Stojsavljević. Their sole studio album, titled Bastion, was released in 1985, featuring lyrics penned by Milčo Mančevski, who later gained recognition as a film director. Following the band's breakup, Kostovska transitioned to an acting career, while Džajkovski joined Leb i Sol and went on to establish himself as a successful electronic music composer and performer.
1983–1987
Founded in 1982 in Skopje by former members of the jazz rock band Post Scriptum—keyboardist Kiril Džajkovski and guitarist Toše Pop Simonov—Bastion also included vocalist Ana Kostovska, who was studying drama at the time. Soon after formation, Simonov was replaced by bassist Ljubomir Stojsavljević. The trio recorded their debut and only album, Bastion, which was launched in 1985 under the PGP-RTB label. The musical compositions were crafted by Džajkovski and Stojsavljević, while the lyrics were written by Milčo Mančevski, then working as a New York correspondent for Džuboks and Zdravo. Mančevski also directed the music video for the track "Hot Day in Mexico". Although the album's songs were performed in Serbo-Croatian, Bastion additionally produced several tracks in Macedonian for Radio-Television Skopje. The band dissolved shortly after releasing their album.
Post breakup
Following Bastion's disbandment, Ana Kostovska dedicated herself primarily to acting but occasionally contributed vocals on albums by notable Yugoslav artists such as Leb i Sol, Riblja Čorba, Vlatko Stefanovski, and The No Smoking Orchestra.
Keyboardist Kiril Džajkovski became a member of Leb i Sol, participating in their albums Kao kakao (1987) and Putujemo (1990). He embarked on a solo career with the release of Synthetic Theatre (1996) and collaborated with the Australian group Kismet. Together with Vlada Divljan, he produced two albums under the name Apartchicks: Dekada and Recorded Supplement, both released in 1997. Džajkovski later developed an extensive portfolio of electronic music recordings and composed scores for theatre productions and films, including works for Mančevski’s movies: Dust (2001), Shadows (2007), and Willow (2019).
In 2006, PMG Recordings issued Works and Rew>>works, a compilation featuring remastered selections from Bastion’s only album alongside reinterpretations by Macedonian bands such as Foltin and Superhiks. The album saw a vinyl reissue with updated cover art through British label ACC Music in 2018.
Studio albums
- Bastion (1985)
Compilation albums
- Works and Rew>>works (2006)