It was back in 2017 that we were first introduced to New Orleans-based Balkan band Blato Zlato (“Swamp Gold” in Bulgarian) when we had the pleasure of sharing their first music video for Miatalo Lenche Iabalka. The good news is that while they continue putting a modern American twist on Eastern European folk music, we have an original composition titled ‘Vodata Teche’ to share with you, one that could easily be mistaken for being a traditional song yet tackles climate change and its effects on their home state of Louisiana. The track is taken from their second full-length album, In The Wake which is out on Friday, November 22nd.
The album pays homage to the band’s dual musical homes of New Orleans and Bulgaria, featuring modern interpretations of Balkan folk traditions steeped in the band’s uniquely dark sound and inspired by their lives in New Orleans, a city teeming with both musical richness and seasonal flooding. The result is a concept album that, while musically rooted in Bulgarian tradition, reflects heavily on New Orleans’ tenuous yet binding relationship with nature.
The band tell us:
Vodata Teche is an original composition co-written by the six members of New Orleans-based Blato Zlato. The song draws heavily from traditional musical elements of Bulgarian folklore, such as a 7/8 rhythm, three-part polyphonic vocals, modal melodies, and Bulgarian lyrics that explore themes of man’s interaction nature. It would be easy to confuse the song for an old folk song, yet the subject matter is inherently modern: written in New Orleans in 2018, the lyrics speak of the band’s growing concern about climate change and its effects on their home state of Louisiana. The lyrics remind us of the omnipresence of water: flowing under the houses, flowing under the streets, and warn to the listener that “water waits for you all.” The track begins and ends with musical mimicry of the ocean and nearby (disappearing) coastline.
The album will be released on CD complete with a lyrics and translation booklet as well as on all major digital distribution sites, including Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon Music. Fans can pre-order the album now and receive an advance track on the band’s Bandcamp page at blatozlato.bandcamp.com.
The album release will be celebrated through a Balkan-music blowout bash featuring Balkan bands Trendafilka and Backyard Balkan Brass Band from 6:30-11:00 PM at the Happyland Theater (3126 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70117).