IGRA STAKLENIH PERLI

One of the few advantages of some of the Eastern European nations that were locked behind a wall of censorship that didn't allow Western influences to pour in was that by the time many nations had started to comprehend the magnitude of the fertile free market systems that allowed unbridled artistic expression in the 1960s and 1970s, there had already been a wealth of musical sounds to glean inspiration from. Such is the case of the Yugoslavian band from Belgrade (now Serbia) IGRA STAKLENIH PERLI which formed in 1976 by keyboardist Zoran Lakić, guitarist Vojkan Rakić and percussionist Predrag Vuković. The band's name which means "The Glass Bead Game" which was borrowed from a Hermann Hesse book of the same name.

Primarily influenced by the psychedelic scene of the UK as well as the German Krautrock world, IGRA STAKLENIH PERLI delivered a fascinating combo pack of albums at the end of the 70s that were comparable to the farthest out trips that were taking England and Germany by storm. Once joined by bassist / vocalist Dra?ko Nikodijević and drummer Dejan ?oć the band began to perform live as early as 1977 and recorded its self-titled debut album that was released on the state-owned PGP RTB label of the socialist Yugoslavia however it would take a couple years for the album to finally be cleared for public consumption. Apparently the censors liked space rock after all! Together with bands like Smak, Time, Leb i Sol, Kornelyans, Tako and Buldo?er, IGRA STAKLENIH PERLI delivered the rare sounds of progressive space rock to a nation not accustomed to the crazy world of music that had been brewing out west.

While considered by many to be ex-Yugoslavia's answer to Pink Floyd, IGRA STAKLENIH PERLI was more accurately the perfect hybrid of Floyd and Hawkwind with secondary influences from Can, Kraftwerk and progressive electronic artists such as Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze. This debut album features a unique mix of "Saucerful of Secrets" era craftsmanship, koscmische drifting organ runs and atmospheres, a Can-like cyclical groove and a distinctly unmistakeable Hawkwind worship with staccato guitar strumming and especially in the vocal parts. Long extended instrumentals through clearly point to pre-"Dark Side Of The Moon" Pink Floyd with references to "Ummagumma," "Atom Mother Heart" and "Meddle." What the band lacked in absolute originality, it more than made up for in its passionate delivery system of throwing all the ingredients into the cauldron and alchemizing a bizarre chimera of them.

While the English bands tended to eschew the extremities of the farthest out trips with the rare exceptions that Pink Floyd delivered of course, the German bands often forsake melodic grooves or grinding guitar riffs in favor of experiments for their own sake. In the case of IGRA STAKLENIH PERLI's debut, these problems are resolved and the album provides a beautifully melodic album in the vein of Hawkwind or Pink Floyd only fortified with the freakiest electronic embellishments and experiments that allowed many Krautrock acts to drift off the musical map into their own little nook and cranny of the experimental sound universe. While the band would enthusiastically release a second album in 1980 and continue to play live, its overall career was cut short due to the horrific civil war that plagued the homeland in the 80s. A third album was recorded but not released until 1992 as "Inner Flow" but can be found in its entirety as bonus tracks on the 2007 Second Harvest reissue.

This band is incredible! IGRA STAKLENIH PERLI really delivered something unique even if moments of near plagiarism occur at least stylistically so. I would totally give this 5 stars if this came out ten years earlier because it's as developed and performed as well as any great energetic slice of progressive space rock of the early 70s however the blatant references to Hawkwind and Floydian moments are a little to close for comfort although that won't affect your enjoyment value. There's a reason why IGRA STAKLENIH PERLI is heralded as one of the most prominent prog acts to exist in the communist era Yugoslavia and one single listen to this album and you'll understand why! A near perfect space rock experience that offered captivating melodies, kosmische space freakery and fueled with a high energy delivery system.