Beograd (band)
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1980 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia |
| Founder | Slobodan Stanić, Ljubodrag Bubalo |
| Headquarters | Belgrade , Serbia, Yugoslavia (former) |
| Products | Synth-pop music albums and singles |
Beograd (, transliterated as Belgrade) was an electronic music group from Serbia and Yugoslavia, established in Belgrade in 1980.
The band was initiated by Slobodan Stanić (synthesizer) alongside Ljubodrag Bubalo (bass guitar, synthesizer), soon joined by Ljubodrag’s sibling Milan Bubalo (rhythm machine, electric drums) and Dejan Stanisavljević (synthesizer, vocals). Drawing inspiration from acts such as Kraftwerk, Ultravox, and Human League, Beograd emerged as a trailblazer within the Yugoslav synth-pop movement. Their debut album, Remek depo, released in 1983, fused synth-pop elements with soul music highlighted by brass instrumentation. Although the album achieved acclaim, the group disbanded shortly thereafter, with members moving on to related musical endeavors.
In 2012, Stanisavljević and Milan Bubalo revived Beograd alongside younger artists, culminating in the 2015 release of Pola/pola. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an indefinite pause for the band; no further recordings or concerts have been announced since, and Milan Bubalo passed away in 2023.
Formation period (1980–1981)
Beograd came into existence in late 1980 through the efforts of Slobodan "Gricko" Stanić (synthesizer) and Ljubodrag "Ljuba" Bubalo (bass guitar, synthesizer), both formerly associated with Uliks and Rulet. With strong influences from Kraftwerk, Ultravox, and Human League, their objective was to develop a synth-centric ensemble.[1][2] An effort to recruit Ljubomir Đukić from Električni Orgazam did not materialize.[1] The group expanded by adding Milan "Mića" Bubalo (rhythm machine, electric drums) and Dejan Stanisavljević (synthesizers, vocals).[1] Initial recordings were captured using a four-channel Teac cassette recorder.[1]
Their debut live performance took place at Belgrade’s Dadov Theatre, where an extra member operated rhythm machine sequencing offstage.[1] Subsequent shows frequently featured drummer Miloš Obrenović from U Škripcu, predominantly at Dadov and the Engineering Students' Club venues.[3] After Stanić left the band, they continued as a trio utilizing pre-recorded samples to cover his parts during live performances.[1]
Achievements and dissolution (1982–1983)
In early 1982, Beograd released the 7-inch single "Sanjaš li u boji" ("Do You Dream In Color?") accompanied by "TV" on its B-side. Composed by Dejan Stanisavljević and produced by Saša Habić, it was issued by Jugoton in a limited edition of 500 copies, making it a sought-after collectible.
Between August and November 1982, the band recorded their first album at PGP-RTB Studio V. Issued in 1983, Remek depo blended synth-pop with soul music enriched by brass sections and contained politically charged lyrics on tracks like "Kontrolori", "Opasne igre", and "Mrak". Most lyrics were penned by Stanisavljević except for "Ulice su noćas..." authored by Milutin Petrović. The album’s production was handled by Habić and featured guest musicians including timpanist Borislav "Bora Longa" Pavićević, avant-garde saxophonist Paul Pignon, and jazz trumpeter Stjepko Gut. It spawned popular songs such as "Kontrolori" and "Opasne igre", reaching number four on the Džuboks top ten list of Yugoslav rock albums in March 1983 where it stayed for twelve weeks. Shortly after the album’s release, Stanisavljević departed mid-1983 to join Du Du A, which led to Beograd’s breakup.
Post-breakup period (1983–2011)
Following the group's dissolution, the former members engaged in various related musical endeavors. Slobodan Stanić established Berlinen Strasse alongside musicians from Defektno Efektni and Urbana Gerila, blending elements of British post-punk, gothic rock, and German krautrock, with performances delivered in German. This ensemble contributed the track "Maske" to the compilation Ventilator 202 demo top 10 (1983) and appeared in Srđan Karanović's film Something in Between, performing "Achtung America". Ljubodrag Bubalo provided rhythm machine sequencing on Berlinen Strasse’s "Maske" and also featured on U Škripcu’s 1983 album O, je! playing on the song "Ples žutog lista". Together with Milan Bubalo, he formed the synth-pop group Haj'mo, which released the EP Irina in 1984 before disbanding. Additionally, the Bubalo siblings programmed drum machines for Bebi Dol’s successful single "Rudi".
Milan Bubalo became a member of synth-pop band Laki Pingvini, producing the well-received EP Šizika (1983) along with the albums Muzika za mlade (1984) and Striptiz (1985), before their breakup in 1989. He later rejoined Laki Pingvini for reunion shows in 1994 and 2006, notably opening for Duran Duran in Belgrade. Milan also handled drum machine programming on U Škripcu’s O, je!, VIA Talas’s sole album Perfektan dan za banana ribe, and Jakarta’s debut single "Amerika", all released during 1983.
Dejan Stanisavljević completed his studies at the Belgrade Faculty of Architecture and collaborated with Du Du A on their 1996 album Ritual. He contributed keyboard parts to Bebi Dol’s 1984 release Ruže i krv. In 1994, he moved to Canada where he worked as an animator at Electronic Arts and subsequently as a technical art director. Throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, he independently released several digital dubstep tracks.
In 2011, the German label Anna Logue Records reissued the EP TV, which included both songs from Beograd’s initial single, the track "Mrak" from Remek depo, as well as early instrumental demos recorded on ORWO cassettes during their formative years.
Reunion phase (2012–2019)
In August 2012, Beograd was revived by Dejan Stanisavljević (synthesizer, vocals) and Milan Bubalo (Ableton Live sequencer), joined by new members Sana Garić (Xanax; synthesizer, vocals), Igor Panić "Ziggy" (Dža ili Bu; guitar), and Miroslav Ćatić (Xanax; drums). This lineup made its live debut at Belgrade’s club 20/44 on 9 September 2012, performing original compositions as well as material from Xanax.
The band unveiled their comeback album, Pola/pola (translated as Fifty/Fifty), in June 2015. The cover art was created by comic artist Aleksa Gajić. Prior to the album launch, singles including "Percepcija" (March 2013), "Zrnca prašine" (November 2013)—which featured samples of traditional Hopi music and was dedicated to painter Radovan Hiršl—and "Weltschmerz" (May 2015) were released. Issued on a USB flash drive format, Pola/pola contained seventeen new tracks alongside a remastered version of Remek depo, seven videos, photographic material, and links to inspirational online content. The album was divided into two parts based on tuning standards—440 Hz and 432 Hz—with the latter incorporating experimental elements inspired by Oriental music.
After releasing this album, Beograd continued live performances featuring Stanisavljević, Bubalo, and Garić until 2019. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic led to an indefinite pause in their activities; since then, no announcements regarding new projects or concerts have been made. Milan Bubalo passed away on 7 December 2023.
Legacy
In 2005, the Serbian alternative rock group Dža ili Bu recorded a rendition of "Opasne igre" for their compilation titled Retrovizor. Later, in 2012, the heavy metal ensemble Trigger featured the same track on their cover album EX. During the 2011 Belgrade Mixer festival, the New Serbian Scene band Svi na Pod! delivered a complete performance of the album Remek depo.
The song "Opasne igre" was placed at number 93 on the B92 Top 100 Domestic Songs chart in 2006.
Additionally, the lyrics of this track were included in Petar Janjatović's collection Pesme bratstva, detinjstva & potomstva: Antologija ex YU rok poezije 1967 – 2007.
Studio albums
- Remek depo (1983)
- Pola/pola (2015)
Singles
- "TV" / "Sanjaš li u boji?" (1982)
Extended plays
- TV (2011)