Editors info:

The Shukar Collective was born in Romania from the meeting of new generation musicians with the gypsy traditions of Shukar founders Napoleon, Tamango and Clasic. Shukar play ursari music (ursar means 'bear tamer' or 'bear handler') using spoons, wooden barrels or darabuka to create a powerful and urgent sound that is at the same time emotional and soulful. Urban Gypsy combines Shukar's original ursari music with the new technology of the collective, resulting in their distinctive sound.

The Independent On Sunday (UK), 22 May on Shukar Collective: Urban Gypsy

4****stars

'Shukar Collective combine traditional Romanian bear-baiting tunes with cutting-edge samples and beats. But this isn’t the usual cut-and-paste ‘global dance’ cash-in. The break-beats here have multiple fractures, and have been aligned to the core material of croaky vocals and barrel bashing, in order to produce an atmospheric as well as a bombastic journey into an unknown world.'



Observer Music Mo