ZABRANJENO PRISLUSKIVANJE!

After the break-up of TAKO in 1981 their leader, composer and keyboard/flute player Đorđe Ilijin worked as archaeologist, music teacher and occasional producer. In 1983 he decided to record a solo album where he played all the instruments with a help from drummer Vladimir Furduj (ex KORNI GRUPA). The title of the album translates as "Eavesdropping Forbidden" and is accompanied with cover art by Jugoslav Vlahović (famous graphic artist, cover designer and former leader of acid folk group PORODIČNA MANUFAKTURA CRNOG HLEBA) showing a back of a man's head closing his ears. I suppose this was meant to suggest serene, whisper-like ambient-meditative nature of the music.

Indeed, the lovers of PINK FLOYD (especially the albums "Atom Heart Mother" or "Wish You Were Here") Mike Oldfield or TANGERINE DREAM will certainly enjoy this record, a piece loaded with orchestral arrangements, lots of organ, piano, synths and flutes. Compositions are mainly done in slow tempo with meditative, almost "new age" atmosphere. This is particularly true about the best tracks on the album, "Lako putovanje na druge planete" ("Easy Journey to Other Planets") and "Balkanska meditacija" ("The Balkan Meditation"), which come close to the better works of TAKO. The opener "Mojim učenicima" ("To My Students") is obviously dedicated to Ilijin's music students with introducing noise of teenage kids murmuring in the classroom. Too bad its melody sounds oddly similar to GALIJA's "Da li postoji put" released the previous year on album "Ipak verujem u sebe". "Natasi" ("A Song for Natasa") contains heavier piano riff and vocal whispers in the space rock style of IGRA STAKLENIH PERLI.

The second side of the album is much weaker with only blues harmonica-driven "Putovanje" ("The Voyage") and jazzy Tull-esque "Podzemni prolaz" ("The Underground Passage") with excellent flute solo are worthy listening. Album ends with poor, pathetic and naïve ballad "Pesma miru" ("Song for Peace") where kids' choir sings "we want peace/we need peace/all kids to have their mothers." bah!

If this were all, I would have given only 3 stars for being good, pleasant and somewhat easy-listening but not too essential record. Still, having checked the CD re-issue, I must say that four instrumental bonus tracks (particularly "Waiting" and "Leo Rising") are very good pieces of minimalist ambient music combining electronic instruments with classical strings. Therefore I opt for a higher mark.

PERSONAL RATING: 3,5/5

P.A. RATING: 4/5

When Tako, propably the best Balkan Prog band ever to see the light, disbanded in 1981, their keyboardist Djordje Ilijin decided to move on as a composer and producer, releasing in 1983 his debut solo album ''Zabranjeno prisluskivanje!''.A sought-after collector's item, this one was released on the Croatian label Suzy in 1983 with Ilijin playing the flute, piano, acoustic guitar and various keyboards.He was accompanied by the choir of Hor Doma Omladine Iz Sremske Mitrovice and practically his only collaborator was former Korni grupa drummer Vladimir Furduj Furda.

The music comes as a mix of gentle folky soundscapes and intense Psychedelic/Space Rock with sporadic chants and narrations, practically based on Ilijin's organ and synthesizer experiments.Lacking a bassist, Ilijin provided a background for drummer Vladimir Furduj Furda either with his piano or synthesizers.The material here is filled with melancholic and archaic soundscapes, flirting often with Electronic Music, showered by Ilijin's excellent flute work and his interactions with the meditative keyboard sounds.So, don't search for any apparent Tako connections, this is smooth, pastoral instrumental music, closer to the Kraut-Rock principles of bands like MYTHOS than Symphonic/Jazz Rock.The atmospheres are great and, while Ilijin lacked a strong supportive band, his sincere approach and mood for cosmic textures resulted an album, characterized by an extremely personal sound.Pastoral flutes all the way, floating keyboards, delicate pianos and some sporadic choirs and strings offer a cinematic, almost spiritual delivery of slightly experimental compositions.The last tracks feature a more bluesy/Folk feel due to the constant use of harmonica, essentially moving a bit away from the album's psychedelic atmosphere in an attempt to make things a tad lighter.His approach though on cosmic/rural soundimages is the driving force of this genuine effort.

Ilijin worked later as an archaeologist and producer and at some point he immigrated to the United States, working as a composer at the Harlem School of Arts.

Lovely Psych/Folk/Cosmic/Synth Prog, very original, atmospheric and cinematic.One of a kind-type of an album, which deserves some attention.Warmly recommended, CD reissue out on Mellow Records.