Ivan Shopov - Trigaida - Elate - LP

TRIGAIDA is the latest musical phenomena to have come out of the small but colorful contemporary electronic scene of Eastern Europe’s Bulgaria. The folktronica trio is formed by multi-instrumentalist Georgi Marinov (Horhe), folklore singer Asya Pincheva, and multifaceted electronic producer Ivan Shopov.

ELATE is the debut full-length offering of the project and is an unique blend of traditional Bulgarian folklore and contemporary electronic music, which is also generously sprinkled with influences ranging from contemporary jazz, to world music and neoclassical, thanks to the plethora of world-class guest musicians, who were also involved in the album. The artwork of ELATE is based on an oil piece by Bulgarian graffiti pioneer Nasimo.

The first single, album opener Sluntseto Trepti, will be released alongside a remix by Carmen Rizzo, a two-time Grammy Nominee electronic world music producer who has worked with artists from Coldplay to Ryuichi Sakamoto and Paul Oakenfold among others. The artwork for the single was created by Ivan Shopov.

TRIGAIDA’s Ivan Shopov is one of the artists who reinvented the European drum and bass in the early 2000s but his talents have shone in numerous genre-bending releases, which have continually showcased his passion for establishing a dialogue between Bulgaria’s musical roots and the current reincarnations of popular electronic music. His partners Georgi Marinov (Bulgarian bagpipe and didgeridoo) and Asya Pincheva (vocals) are also highly-regarded for their work with the Bulgarian world music supergroup ORATNITZA, a formation which has been exploring the translation of folklore music through the means of modern club music.

In ELATE the talented trio is not alone in their journey. In an attempt to expand their musical landscape, by embracing an even wider variety of world music languages, they have invited world-renowned collaborators among which Theodosii Spassov (kaval), Dimitar Bodurov (piano, programming), Akira Uschida (clavichord, saxophone), Maxim Anokhin (programming), Burak Malcok (ney), Ace Vaptsarov (guitar, strings arrangement), Mariya Dimitrova (back vocals), Neyko Bodurov (trumpet), Tayfun Ateş (percussion) and Güldeste Mamaç (violin). Their contributions allowed TRIGAIDA to add even more nuances to their already innovative and exciting musical palette.

TRIGAIDA commissioned the artwork of ELATE to world-acclaimed Bulgarian graffiti artist Nasimo. Active since the early 90s and considered one of the most important graffiti and fine art muralists on the Balkans, Nasimo is a regular collaborator of Ivan Shopov. In his current work, the artist is equally focused on muralism and studio painting, further developing his signature style and vision.