2011 in Hungarian music and culture

---
id: d942cda9-e249-480e-a9a6-bc962c3cf57b
blueprint: article
title: '2011 in Hungarian music and culture'
date: 2011-12-30T15:08:32+01:00
wp_id: '11221'
slug: 2011-in-hungarian-music-and-culture
contents:
  -
    type: text
    text: '<p>This year in Budapest was a quite strange one. It started with a horrible disco accident in <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12201916" target="_blank">January</a> that shocked the country and had long lasting consequences for the city&rsquo;s party culture. During the year the political and economic crises caused a lot of negative vibes. The closure of cult clubs like the Merlin Theatre and the open air Z&ouml;ld Pardon also sent out shockwaves. But apart from the bad news, there were still many positive moments to be happy about instead. We&rsquo;re going to take a look at some of the more exciting moments from throughout the year <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/countries/hungary" target="_blank">in our Hungary section</a>.</p><p>This year was the 200th anniversary for classic composer Ferenc Liszt (Franz Liszt) but there were also some big anniversaries in electronic music too. Budapest&rsquo;s underground electronic music community celebrated pioneer DJ and godfather of the scene <strong>Palotai</strong>&lsquo;s 50th birthday through the year on several occasions and <strong>Chi Recordings</strong> also had reason for celebration as they released a compilation for their 10th anniversary. We interviewed a lot of musicians this year, you liked the most <strong>Yonderboi </strong>on his <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/music/interviews/interview-yonderboi-0" target="_blank">return</a>, <strong>9b0</strong> on his <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/music/interviews/9b0-makes-honest-music-with-own-software" target="_blank">work processes</a>, <strong>Jaffa Surfa</strong> on <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/music/interviews/jaffa-surfa-gives-his-house-music-an-organic-edge" target="_blank">organic house music</a>,<strong> ICR</strong> on his milestone <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/music/interviews/icr-releases-double-album-on-fokuz-as-a-milestone-in-his-music" target="_blank">double album</a>, <strong>Sena</strong> on her <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/music/interviews/interview-sena-in-solo-i-can-bring-my-femininity-more-to-the-forefront" target="_blank">solo project</a> and emerging talent <strong>Mongoose </strong>on his <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/music/interviews/mongoose-replaces-funk-with-folk" target="_blank">career story</a>.</p><p>It&rsquo;s interesting in Budapest that there are only a few good club spaces but several cool nights. <strong>Decknology</strong> by TEST completed their mission of pioneering the local electronic music scene with the project surviving for only one year. Not like the other future music-oriented night <strong>Space Is Called</strong> which was started by DJ Cadik and A38 Ship or the new hipster-magnet <strong>Selected Sounds</strong> by NVC with live acts such as Caribou, Gold Panda, Nosaj Thing. Electronic Beats had also three very successful sold-out gigs, a <strong><a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/eb-reviews/electronic-beats-live-special-budapest-2011" target="_blank">Live Special Launch Party</a></strong> and a <strong><a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/eb-reviews/electronic-beats-festival-budapest-2011-in-review" target="_blank">Festival</a></strong>, followed by an <strong><a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/eb-reviews/electronic-beats-presents-ellen-allien-and-james-holden-in-budapest-review" target="_blank">EB Presents party</a></strong>. There were so many other highlights that made this year, gigs to remember by <strong>Lamb, Jamie Woon, Darkstar</strong> and <strong>Shigeto</strong> on A38 Ship, <strong>Kink</strong> in Merlin, <strong>Eskmo</strong> at <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/music/news/balaton-sound-break-rubiks-cube-with-eskmo" target="_blank">Balaton Sound</a>, <strong>Crystal Castles</strong> at Sziget, <strong>Xeno &amp; Oaklander</strong> in Roham Bar and so on.</p><p>And so many other things like the new <strong><em>Blind Musician</em></strong> EP by the continuously changing abstract hip hop formation <strong>Realistic Crew</strong>, or <em><strong>My Rorschach </strong></em>by <strong>Occam</strong>, the electronic solo project of drummer of Zagar. There was another great solo debut of eclectic singer <strong>Judie Jay</strong> with her <em><strong>Harmony</strong></em> LP. Our new discovery is Berlin based Hungarian producer <strong>Dnte</strong> with his beautiful wonky debut EP <strong><em>Wake Me Up</em></strong> (listen <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/music/interviews/dntes-surreal-wonky-melodies" target="_blank">here</a>).</p><p> <span><a href="http://soundcloud.com/judiejay/glory-girl-judie-jay-harmony">Glory Girl &ndash; Judie Jay/Harmony</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/judiejay">judiejay</a></span></p><p>Two more scenes were growing up and started to establish in Budapest&rsquo;s underground, the lo-fi bedroom producers might have got <a href="http://easterndaze.net/post/6969721655/va-cheap-music-hungarian-lo-fi-vol-2" target="_blank">more attention</a> but there is a ghetto-tech community going strong, too. We&rsquo;re looking forward to seeing 2012, it will be great!</p>'
---