Kocani Orkestar

Everyone's favorite Macedonian brass band returns with an ambitious, nuanced release. The Orkestar steps away from their traditional marching band repertoire to play songs that smaller ensembles traditionally perform at wedding banquets. More textured and emotional than usual, the songs span three languages: Roma, Turkish and Macedonian, while the instrumentation gets a similar makeover. But the biggest surprise has to be the charming "Siki, Siki Baba," which bears a weird (perhaps intentional?) resemblance to the rock refrain "shake it, shake it baby."

Macedonian tuba funk for that once-in-a-lifetime blowout, its horns, vocals, and beats imbued with Middle Eastern quaver ("Siki, Siki Baba," "Zen Nube"). (Grade - ***)