You might not automatically associate Hungary with spacey psych and electronica, but Budapest's Žagar have been leading the way developing their beautiful cosmic sound for many years. Combining the epicness of M83 and Sigur Rós, with Jean Michelle Jarre synth explorations, the heady mix sounds like a future soundtrack to The Art of Flight 2. Their second studio LP, 'Light Leaks', is out worldwide on April 29.
Part of the burgeoning eastern European electronic scene, the five-piece Žagar create a fresh and unique sound based on wave rock, electronica and psychedelic soundscapes. The Hungarian band started out as three-fifths of the Yonderboi Quintet and after a few years and some critical success, keyboard player Balázs Zságer (Žagar’s namesake) and scratcher Dj Bootsie splintered off to form their own sound, exploring more experimental avenues in their music. They eventually added drummer Tibor Lázár, guitarist George Ligeti and bassist Ákos Zságer-Varga to complete the band and are now a hugely significant force on the Eastern European music scene.
Their last album ‘Cannot Walk, Fly Instead’, released worldwide on German label Mole Listening Pearls, was nominated twice for the regional award at the MTV Europe Music Awards and entered the Top Ten in the music charts. The album won numerous awards, including the prestigious Hungarian Record Industry’s Fonogram Award and hit single, ‘Wings of Love’ featuring Underground Divas, earned heavy radio play and secured the Number One spot for MTV’s Video Chart. The band went on to accept second place in the Independent Songwriting Competition in the same year.
Žagar are also attracting fans overseas, their music has been sampled in both short and feature films, and was included in the soundtrack for popular American TV dramas, CSI:Miami and CSI:New York, reaching millions of viewers worldwide. The band have so far played extensively over Europe including supporting Depeche Mode on their Budapest leg of their ‘Tour of the Universe’. Highly praised for their electrifying live sets, in which they consistently create an atmospheric and unforgettable live experience.
Their new album ‘Light Leaks’ explores expansive cinematic dreamscapes created with their perfect blend of cool guitar riffs, vintage synth sounds, psychedelic effects and Kraftwerk style vocoders. Speaking about the album, the band say that - “It is about the innocent and eternal moments of our childhood memories. Light Leaks exposes a miraculous and wonderful world where a child enjoys colorful fantasy, ignoring boundaries. It is this child we follow as we go through dreamlands or wonder around in a cosmic utopia.”
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