Montenegro’s iconic satirical collective The Books of Knjige and the Belgrade's leader in the field of indie-rock music Artan Lili have joined forces in order to convey the wisdom found in the form of a sevdalinka text, on parchment more than half a millennium old, to a wider audience, in order to contribute to the awakening of awareness of the moment in which the modern world finds itself.
The music and lyrics are written by Aleksandar Radunović Popaj, while the arrangement and distinctive production come from Bojan Slačala. Vocals are delivered by Romana Slačala and Radunović, with performances by Dejan Antović (bass) and Jovan Šatrić (drums). Slačala also handled the mix, and the mastering was done by Vlada Negovanović.
The Books of Knjige ft. Artan Lili, photo: YT printscreen
The visually striking video is directed by Mario Đorđević Noyz, with color grading by Miodrag Mika Marković, adding further depth to the atmosphere of the song.
It’s a collaboration that may seem unexpected at first glance, but already on first listen shows how well the aesthetics of TBOK and Artan Lili complement each other: merging sharp humor, subtle emotion and Artan Lili’s signature alt-rock pulse.
