Record Label: Koolarrow Records
Genre: World/Hip-Hop/Ska/Reggae
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If I were to explain what I thought of Dubioza Kolektiv upon first listen, it would be plain and simple…mind-blowing. “Wild Wild East” starts off on one side of the globe and takes us around the world and back again. There is a fusion of so many musical genres that one would expect the message to get lost along the way but Dubioza Kolektiv does a great job of fusing everything from traditional Bosnian folk music to reggae and ska to dub and dance music.

“Wild Wild East” is the first album released by the band in which most songs are sung in English. Personally, the music matters a lot but I prefer to hear the stories that the songs tell and this will most likely open up Dubioza Kolektiv to a much larger audience. If I were to compare them to any one band I would say that they are very similar in eclectic style to Gogol Bordello. It’s more Gypsy reggae/ska than Gypsy punk though.

The overall theme on “Wild Wild East” is very political and social but not in any way anti-American. In fact, Dubioza Kolektiv preaches peace and tolerance and points their fingers at their own government rather than at others. The opening track “Wake Up” deals with the frustrations of the world sends the message of uniting and becoming one while a track like “Decisions” is about just that, making the right decisions to make a positive change in life.

As I mentioned earlier before, Dubioza Kolektiv takes so many musical genres and manages to shape and mold them into something that sounds very fresh and unique. Tracks not only vary in pace but one minute you’ll be listening to a techno-driven rock riff and suddenly the song will shift to a two-tone ska track complete with a Balkan accordion in the background. It can be best described as musical culture shock.

“Wild Wild East” is by far one of the most unique albums that I have listened to in years. The message is positive, the music is danceable and rocks and it is an album that makes you think. There are others all over the globe that listens to the same music as you and I do, even in places that you would never think of. Put your ears in the right places and you never know what you may find. Dubioza Kolektiv’s sound is one that should be heard the world over.

Bottom Line: An eclectic mix of varied musical tastes with a positive message that is entertaining throughout.
Notable Tracks: Wake Up, U.S.A., Celebrate the Riot, Euro Song
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