Kristali
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1993 in Belgrade, Serbia |
| Defunct | 2025 |
| Headquarters | Belgrade , Serbia |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, singles |
Kristali (; translated as The Crystals) was a Serbian pop rock ensemble established in Belgrade in 1993. The group achieved widespread recognition during the mid-1990s by blending britpop influences with their pop rock style, producing multiple hit singles. After producing four studio records and one live album, the band ceased operations in 2025 following the passing of lead vocalist Dejan Gvozden.
1990s
Prior to founding Kristali, singer and bassist Dejan Gvozden along with guitarist Željko Markuš performed blues and rock classics in various Belgrade cafés. The band officially formed in January 1993 when drummer Dejan Kostić joined their ranks. Within six months, they released their breakthrough single "Dva metra" ("Two Meters"), accompanied by a music video directed by Milutin Petrović. Shortly thereafter, Milan Popović became the new bassist, allowing Gvozden to concentrate solely on vocals. Additionally, trombonist Nenad Potije, formerly of Del Arno Band, joined the lineup.
Their initial track, "O kako si lepa" ("Oh, How Beautiful You Are"), was featured on the L.V.O. Records compilation Academia vol.1. A live rendition appeared on the 1995 compilation Groovanje Vol. 1.
The group's self-titled debut album Kristali was launched by L.V.O. Records in 1994 and included guest contributions from musicians such as Nemanja Kojić (trombone) of Eyesburn, saxophonist Borivoje Borac, percussionist Vladimir Lešić, and keyboardist Đorđe Vasović. Guitarist Aleksadar Mitanovski from Dža ili Bu provided a solo on the track "Emili". Production was handled by Goran Živković "Žika" and Rodoljub Stojanović, while photographer Goranka Matić designed the album artwork. This release showcased pop-oriented songs influenced by contemporary britpop trends, featuring notable tracks like "Dva metra", "O kako si lepa", "Znam", and "Osmi dan".
In April 1997, their sophomore studio effort Dolina ljubavi (The Valley of Love) arrived under the guidance of producer Igor Borojević. The album included guest appearances from Aleksandar Balać (bass) of Block Out, saxophonist Aleksandar Tomić, and Rambo Amadeus who played acoustic guitar on "Sad se svega sećam". Songs such as "Talasi", "Novi dan", and "Hajde, hajde" maintained their signature musical direction. In 1998, Kristali composed the soundtrack for the theatrical production Furka staged at Belgrade’s Boško Buha Theatre. The following year, they recorded a cover of "Baby, baby" for the multi-artist compilation Korak napred 2 koraka nazad, originally from the 1984 film Strangler vs. Strangler.
2000s
The band's third studio album, Sve što dolazi (All That Is To Come), was released in 2001 featuring new members Aleksandar Šišić on bass guitar and Bojan Dmitrašinović on drums. Gvozden expanded his role by adding rhythm guitar alongside his vocal duties. All compositions were co-written by Gvozden and Markuš, including popular tracks like "Ustani, kreni" ("Stand Up, Go"), "Menjam se" ("I am Changing"), and "Moje srce" ("My Heart"). Production credits go to Mirko Vukomanović. In 2002, an electronic remix of "Ustani, kreni" by Intruder was included on their album Collector's Item.
To celebrate their tenth anniversary, Kristali released a live album titled Live @ Studio 6, recorded with a lineup comprising Gvozden, Markuš, bassist Dejan Škopelja (formerly of U Škripcu), drummer Ratko Ljubičić, and keyboardist Ivan Krstić. That same year, they appeared performing "Mesto za nas" ("A Place for Us") in Srđan Koljević's film The Red Colored Grey Truck. In 2006, Gvozden appeared in two commercials for Hello Juice and lent his voice to a pop punk rendition of "Jingle Bells" used in these advertisements.
2010s
In 2010, Kristali recorded the track "Drvoseča" ("The Woodcutter"), which is their rendition of the Crveni Koralji adaptation of Tim Hardin's "If I Were a Carpenter," created for Srđan Koljević's film The Woman with a Broken Nose. By March 2013, the band unveiled their fourth studio album titled Samo bluz (Only Blues), showcasing contributions from Gvozden, Predrag Manov on guitar, Marko Orlović handling bass, and Ernest Džananović on drums. That same year, they collaborated with the children's choir Kolibri to produce "Proleće" for the compilation album Kolibri planeta (Hummingbird Planet).
On 22 February 2014, Kristali performed an acoustic set at Parobrod club in Belgrade. Live recordings of "Znam," "Talasi," and "Moje srce" from this session were included in the 2014 various artists' live compilation Parobrod Unplugged. June 2014 saw the release of their final single, "Divan dan" ("Beautiful Day"). Later, in October, the group marked two decades since their formation with a celebratory concert at Belgrade Youth Center. This milestone event featured appearances by former members Željko Markuš—who had formed his new band Pacifik (Pacific)—and Milan Popović.
2020s
Dejan Gvozden, the band's lead vocalist and last founding member, passed away on 5 October 2025 at the age of 55, bringing an effective conclusion to Kristali's musical journey.
Legacy
Their track "Osmi dan" was honored in 2006 by ranking number 74 on the B92 Top 100 Domestic Songs list.
Studio albums
- Kristali (1994)
- Dolina ljubavi (1997)
- Sve što dolazi (2001)
- Samo bluz (2013)
Live albums
- Live @ Studio 6 (2004)
Other appearances
- "Kako si lepa" (featured on Academia vol. 1; 1993)
- "Kako si lepa" (included in Groovanje vol. 1; 1995)
- "Baby, baby" (from Korak napred 2 koraka nazad; 1999)