Boom Selekcija – S/T LP (Discom, Šareni Dućan, Blind Dog Records)

Last year, Discom has teamed up with Croatian record labels Šareni Dućan and Blind Dog Records for another excellent release. Their collaboration resulted in a vinyl reissue of an ultra-rare full-length album by Boom Selekcija. For those who might not know, Boom Selekcija was a short-living Yugoslavian funk band based in Belgrade, active from 1979 to 1983, consisting of Boban Petrovic’s backing band and Silva Delovska from KIM Band on vocals. During various circumstances, like the lack of information about the band at the time and the immense quality of the recorded material, Boom Selekcija nurtures a cult status among vinyl lovers, crate diggers, and DJs. It comes as no surprise considering that each composition included on this marvelous album could be a potential radio hit or a danceable number at the club. The entire material possesses some wild, relentless, addictive energy that immediately grabs your attention and forces you to dance.

All these qualities come from the tremendously skillful musicians who weren’t afraid to showcase all their abilities throughout each segment of every song. Keep in mind this is dominantly a funk album, but Boom Selekcija knew how to blend in some disco, soul, and even some prog-rock. These experimentations with a couple of different but complementary music genres allowed them to shape a fresh, unique, rich, and luxurious sound, with many exceptional ideas and instrumentations pervading from all possible sides. Of course, all these musicians were already known for their previous endeavors. The entire band played and recorded numerous times with Boban Petrović, a legendary musician and DJ known for his otherwordly house parties. With the addition of Silva Delovska of KIM Band on backing vocals and Chris Nicholls on Moog synthesizer, Boom Selekcija established a hallmark sound that would, a couple of years later, become a staple on the Yugoslavian music scene.

Each side of this fine piece of plastic comes with so many highlights. The A-side reveals “Moje Cake, “Rokenrol Štipaljke,” “Studentski San,” and “Vladina Gitara,” a streak of excellent compositions that could easily pair works of some of the finest international bands and acts. The entire band operates like an unstoppable musical machinery, with all the vocal, sonic, and rhythmic patterns flawlessly aligned. You’ll immediately notice how an outstanding rhythm section keeps the remainder of the band in line with tastefully assembled low-ends and precise beats. These two instruments dictate groove and tempo while paving the way for catchy, choppy, funky chord progressions, various synth improvisations, and marvelous vocal performance. Speaking of the vocals, you’ll notice how the harmonies range from very calm, soothing, and relaxing to more distorted shouts. Of course, Boom Selekcija applied these vocal lines depending on the mood and dynamics of these songs. The same approach applies to all the instrumentations, as the pace, progression, and psychedelic aspect intensifies for those energetic songs.

The majority of bands stack their best numbers on the A-side. Well, that’s not the case with Boom Selekcija. The other side sounds equally good, with songs like “Pogrešan Broj,” “Žuljaš Me,” “Bora Klej,” and “Frizerka Nada” showcasing a broad array of styles involved. Perhaps this side carries even more explorations in disco, soul, and RNB, while funk remains the primary sonic direction. You’ll notice how the bass guitar is more volumed-up, and guitars deliver more hypnotic chord progressions for an extra dosage of funkiness. The keys sound more subtle on some tracks like “Žuljaš Me” and “Frizerka Nada,” mainly because these are much calmer tracks where other instrumentations reign supreme. Of course, you’ll still notice everything the keyboardist tried to implement in these songs. Like on the A-side, this side showcases excellent vocal maneuvers, backs, and singalongs. The band paid a lot of attention to every harmony, ensuring that each song remains memorable even after the album comes to an end.

Another thing worth pointing out is how much time and effort these experienced musicians spent on the arrangements. Each song arrives with a perfect structure, stacked with many segments and marvelous orchestrations. It’s nearly mindblowing how this album went under the radar back in the day. With every number shining with so many brilliant moments, it surely surprises many renowned recordings published in the same era. This remastered reissue deserves your utmost attention due to its immense quality and cult status among vinyl enthusiasts. As usual, Discom did a tremendous job in giving this Yugoslavian funk masterpiece the treatment it deserves. Head to their web store for more information about ordering.