Umbra (8)

Belgrade-based musician Marija Balubdžić performs mainly under the alias Umbra. Through sound intervention and poetic experiment atop a multi-channel looper, she confronts voice and synthesizers, drifting between noise and melodic idioms. As a member of Efemerne Konfesije, a drag collective in Belgrade, she is developing the character of the virtuoso pianist Fritz Klein. As the author of the radio show Zvuk Ispod which airs monthly on Radio Belgrade 3, Balubdžić presents fellow experimental electronic music artists that she has encountered through her tours. For the Zvuk Ispod show, she draws inspiration from the fancy of yet another of her characters - DJ Krem, a music selector and promoter. Marija Balubdžić has been working individually, and as a part of various collectives since year 2000. Studies of classical music, public rehearsals, international concerts and tours, home production and vocal workshops have sometimes been left to oblivion, or occasionally recorded, both as official and unofficial releases. Past and present collectives include: Radio Belgrade 3, Efemerne Konfesije, Radio Aparat, Kino Pleme – Live Soundtrack ensemble, improvisational collective ImprovE, band Bitlsti of the collective Matrijaršija, improvisational quartet Beli Talas, duo of composers Halbstar and Umbra, GRUBB collective of Roma teenagers, independent choir and orchestra Horkeškart, radio podcast Lepi Ritam Srca, band Činč, Faculty of Music – University of Arts in Belgrade.