Nikola Kodjabashia is a London based Macedonian composer, audio artist, producer, electronic wizard, conductor, pianist and virtual instrumentalist. He studied with Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Anatol Vieru, György Kurtág, and Rolf Gehlhaar and he’s the composer of two critically acclaimed albums “The Most of Now” from 2008 and “Reveries of the Solitary Walker” released in 2004. He has scored and conducted music for numerous plays, TV productions & films, and he is a Musical Director and co-founder of The Diesel Orchestra and Meta4 ensemble. Foltin, far as I know, is one of the most important Macedonian bands. Additional contribution for this release comes from the drummer Goce Stevkovsk. Well, “Penelope X” is an exciting, colorful material where jazz and ethno (world) elements grows together and blooming into a powerful, expressive musical experience. Macedonian, gypsy and Klezmer reflexions are merged into jazz and contemporary music constructions, the result once again something particular and very alive.
“Penelope X” has a charming mystic air, a fascinating groove, jazz and trip hop themes shifting in a movie like soundscape and nice sonic textures with folkloric roots are crossed over by discrete electronic floats. An excellent album with an absolute beautiful musical structure and eight perfect songs. There is a motto which says “that if you don’t know to which port you are sailing then no wind will be favorable”. Well, Branko Nikolov proof himself to be a master captain and he knows not only the port, but he know everything also about the wind.
