The cult alternative Belgrade band “E-PLAY” performed on October 17 (Jagodina’s Liberation Day), 2025, at the Art club “Svitac” (eng. Firefly), as part of the promotion of their new album “Diši Duboko” (eng. ‘Breathe Deep’, published by PGP-RTS, 2024). They presented their new album to the audience and played a large part of the songs from the previous albums, many of which have a cult status for the local audience. If we were to analyze in more detail, we would come to the conclusion that the variety of themes, melodies and rhythms is such that it is not possible to clearly determine the ‘degree of cult status’ for each individual song. Their songs are such that they can touch every person in a different, unique, special way, so their entire oeuvre could be divided into some kind of “cult units” where many songs overlap and pass from one unit to another, depending on the crew that listens to them – thereby creating an entirely new unit that upgrades itself anew with each new album, establishing a completely new and special avant-garde spirit of Belgrade – and of Serbia itself – which is always there “in the air” from the time when E-PLAY exists as a band.
The concert itself lasted a full 100 minutes. It was one incredible explosive night! Drum’n’Bass was the dominant sound of the evening, additionally colored by electric guitar melodies and backing vocals, and the audience was overjoyed. They also played the song “Hotel Yugoslavia” written by Maja Cvetković in collaboration with Momčilo Bajagić ‘Bajaga’. The song, or the music video directed by Vuk Protić, is not only a visual homage to some other times, architecture and cultural heritage, but mostly also talks about new cultural and psychological models of urban society, by the example of a modern, one would say – love story, and human relations of two cosmopolitans in an attempt to avoid that omnipresent everyday life. The show “Bunt” (eng. Rebellion) nominated the track “Hotel Yugoslavia” for “Song of the Year” 2021, and on that occasion they were also awarded a prize. It is the second time that the band E-PLAY has been awarded the Song of the Year award. In 2020, they were awarded the same award for the song “Sloboda” (eng. Freedom).
Maja Cvetković (vocals and bass guitar) gave an interview for our digital magazine after the performance.
alxspirit: You opened the concert with the song “Sloboda” (eng. Freedom). The digital world gives us an illusion of freedom, while actually traps us and we live our digital world within our 4 walls. How much freedom are we losing nowadays and how can we fight against it?
Maja: We don’t play “Sloboda” (eng. Freedom) by chance as the first song, especially in this situation and this year, with all that is happening in Serbia. We deliberately play it in the sense of a (human) voice with which you should speak freely, to express yourself, to have the right to an opinion, to say something if you don’t like it – so “Freedom” is played deliberately and deliberately opens this whole tour of ours. Regardless of the fact that the accent is on the new album titled “Diši Duboko” (eng. Breathe Deep) – “Freedom” still opens our entire tour, because that is the most important thing now.
alxspirit: Yes, the new album is titled “Diši Duboko” (eng. Breathe Deep). It came out recently, in 2024, and there is a promotional tour going on. How would you present the new album to your readers, excuse me – listeners?
Maja: Well, I would tell the ‘readers and listeners’ (laughs) to listen to it and try to understand it by themselves – that would be great! This is our sixth album in a row – and each one is different, each one is our new chapter. We try not to be the same – but to experiment as much as possible (I can say) in some directions – me (personally) – and together with Trut (Goran Ljuboja, the drummer) in some new rhythms. We try not to repeat ourselves. We try to let the imagination work and go one step higher. I think we succeeded at that – so (the album) “Diši Duboko” (eng. Breathe Deep) is still gettin’ its way somewhere through and among the audience. Given that this year is quite turbulent in terms of concerts and that we ourselves are still adapting to it, we will try to play the new album – as well as the song “Freedom” – as much as possible, in order to give the audience as many opportunities as we can, for the audience and fans to get to know it all.
alxspirit: Regarding the new album “Breathe Deep”, tell me how much we need to really ‘breathe deep’ in these globally tense times?
Maja: Yes, that’s exactly what it is! When we were choosing the name of the album, I asked a question in the band’s Viber-group: “What do you think about these titles – ‘Breathe Deep’ or ‘With Luck’?”. I hesitated a bit, and then Trut (Goran Ljuboja, drummer) cut in, saying that at this moment it would be best for it to be “Breathe Deep” because it reflects our current situation, and that we need that title. That’s when you’re under unprecedented stress and something needs to happen – the craziest thing – positive thing! Just take a deep breath, like that runner at the start, and think: “Let’s go! Now!”. It’s not a about ‘choking’ or anything like that – it’s just a sigh for something better.
alxspirit: This is at least your third time here in Jagodina (eng. Strawberry City), and it is clear that the audience loves you. What are your impressions after the concert?
Maja: The audience is great, really! Total respect for Jagodina! Thank you very much for being there. Thank you personally for being there, too. The concert was good – the audience was even better! I hope to see you soon because this was more like a promotion of the album, so there were a lot of songs from that album. I hope that some (music) festival will take place in Jagodina soon.
E-PLAY – Diši Duboko [eng. Breathe Deep] (CD album published by PGP-RTS, 2024, photography – Nebojša Babić)
E-PLAY: Facebook, Instagram, X, BandCamp, Deezer, YouTube.
Official web-page: www.eplaymusic.com
Photography: alxspirit
Additional photography (main and promo photography): Nebojša Babić
Video: YouTube/EplayBand
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