Strog Post by Strog Post

Strog Post is a trio composed of Filip Bukršliev (guitar/synthesizer), Deni Omeragić (bass guitar/samples) and Kristijan Novkovski (drums). They make music that oscillates on the often invisible borders between the already provisional genres of stoner rock, psychedelic rock, doom metal, post-rock, punk jazz, ambient, etc., all filtered through a carefully crafted, experimental sieve. The music is loaded with heavy and brutal riffs, supported by a very tight rhythm section; so tight in fact, that it would burst if we were to imagine to be any tighter. When these three versatile musicians play in this trio formation, it sounds like a gladiatorial battle in creating controlled noise.

Separately or together, Bukršliev, Omeragić and Novkovski also play in Svetlost (and their expanded Odron Ritual Orchestra), Taxi Consilium, Fighting Windmills (https://fightingwindmillsmk.bandcamp.com/), The Local Blue (https://thelocalblue.bandcamp.com/), Yordan Kostov Quintet and his other bands, Filip Bukršliev Trio (https://sjfrecords.bandcamp.com/album/all-the-sad-words-in-the-beggar-s-dictionary), Palindrom (https://palindromskopje.bandcamp.com) ... and who knows how many more informal groups. In 2021, Filip Bukršliev received the Best Young Jazz Musician award from the world-renowned Skopje Jazz Festival. In 2019, Omeragić and Novkovski, together with Ninoslav Spirovski and the extended Svetlost Odron Ritual Orchestra, released their debut album, which was later selected among the 15 best jazz albums for 2019 by Bandcamp. (https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-of-2019/the-best-jazz-albums-of-2019) The case was similar with the debut album of Taxi Consilium (Bukršliev’s noir jazz quartet), Essential Sunday Gloom, which was chosen among the best jazz albums for the month of May 2021, also by Bandcamp. (https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-jazz/the-best-jazz-on-bandcamp-may-2021) All three of them, with their numerous bands and informal groups, play regularly in the region, and even more frequently at the numerous free improv and jam sessions in several nightclubs in Skopje.

As for the formation of Strog Post trio, the story is multidimensional. In one of the parallel universes, Black Sabbath, Kyuss and Sleep did not exist. So in that universe young people have no way to channel their energy into something positive and they only listen to soft rock, synth pop and their derivatives. There are mass murders between students all over the world, because none of them have ever heard of Slayer or something similar. Here, The Prodigy never formed, the Tories won the battle against rave culture, and that’s where electronic music stopped. In this universe, Charles Manson and Marilyn Monroe are alive and well and they have formed the country band Marilyn Manson. Nine Inch Nails is a measure for prosthetic women’s nails, and Nirvana is an anti-aging face cream. Bono is the archetype of a rock musician and he is appreciated by musicians and the music public worldwide. Based on his philanthropic merits, he is elected as the president of the United African States, and right around here we notice that things are beginning to get out of control. The only hope for a way out of this ominous auditory reality is placed in an obscure, transdimensional Macedonian band called Strog Post. What will happen next? Will Bono be allowed to monopolize the West African musical tradition into pop blues? Will an unknown Macedonian band with the power to travel through the multiverse be able to do something about it? Listen to this album and maybe you will find out the answers to these questions; questions that have nothing to do with our universe.

Filip Bukršliev on the topic of music that doesn’t play it safe:
“If you don’t approach music as an ordinary entrepreneur, as someone who offers a service for laying tiles in your toilet, then market settings and trends are pure nonsense. I wouldn’t even call it a need for musical self-realization, nor would I have the energy and be that self-obsessed to be concerned about leaving a personal mark. The only association that comes to mind is communication. Some kind of processing, meditation and articulation of the whole wonder and absurdity of existence, being fully aware that this may make me sound like some kind of hippy who thinks that walking around barefoot is the ultimate virtue.”

AKSIOMA releases awkward music, at the crossroads between jazz, rock, noise, electronica and all their experimental, improvisational and avant-garde variants. Primarily focused on the new vibrant Macedonian instrumental music scene.

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