Perija was formed in 2015 as a street performance band. Members changed during the years, and the band stays open for new connections, collaborations and friendships. The current members are Lea Milinovikj, Dea Plevnesh, Filis Sinanoska, Katerina Dimitrovska and Ognen Zlatanov. Perija is a Turkish root word denoting fairy, and it is this mythological connection with the darkness of the Balkan forests, a feeling that they try to convey in their music. The idea is mixing all of their musical influences and making a fusion, creating their own original music that plays around old, almost forgotten folk songs (some of them collected by friends who travel to villages and record them, some of them found in very old recordings), or poems from these areas (often touching social issues). The band aims on using different languages from the Balkans and beyond, as they believe in the equality of cultures. Their music influences vary, from middle-eastern maqam music, blues, post-punk, atonal, jazz, to fellow world and traditional music. Even though they are now more focused on festivals and concerts, and have numbers of smaller gigs, they still play on the street, as a way to keep that culture of availability alive.
The band has two studio albums :
and two EP-s:
Falan Filan was voted No. 5 in the Balkan World Music Chart (the first quarter), and their EP Kokalo was placed among the best world records of 2020 by world music podcast platform Izvorishta. Their performance on ESNS was chosen as one of the most impressive acts by Czech music platform AlterEcho.
Some of their songs are part of compilations:
They performed at some festivals:
TV and Radio shows/gigs:
They have two original videos recorded by Turkish music platform Elif’in Hecesi:
A documentary was made for the band directed by Vencislav Ristov in 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG7YkX5M400
Gigs:
The band is also a part of a collective label based in Skopje, Macedonia, Meeting Tent Records
Lea Milinovikj – Oud, Tambura, Cumbuş sas, Percussion
Dea Delina Plevnesh – Percussion, Vocals
Filis Sinanoska – Tambura, Oud, Daf, Vocals
Katerina Dimitrovska – Vocals, Tambura, Kemane, Percussion, Yaylı Tambur
Ognen Zlatanov – Cumbuş sas, Oud, Tambura, Vocals