It’s been four years since Israeli alternative music group Balkan Beat Box recorded a new song, but the time has come with the release of “I Trusted U,” a single from the band’s upcoming new album.
Like all BBB music, this latest heavy-on-the-bass tune pulls listeners out of their chairs and onto the dance floor. Featuring lead singer Tomer Yosef carefully enunciating each word (it’s in English), he’s backed by bandmates Tamir Muskat and Ori Kaplan, along with the familiar saxophone riff familiar from other BBB songs.
There was some discussion on the Balkan Beat Box Facebook page as to whether the video for “I Trusted U” possibly promoted violence against women.
In the video, Yosef faces off with a woman in a boxing ring, presumably a girlfriend, alternately dressed in a red ballroom dancing dress and a Wonder Woman-like outfit, with faked punches and kicks that release trails of animated hearts and flower petals.)
The eclectic musical group is made up of three Israelis — Yosef, alto saxophonist Kaplan and Muskat — who first met in Brooklyn, New York, and now commute between New York and Tel Aviv.
Balkan Beat Box has always been known for its cross-section of musical styles and sounds, combining a steady bass with hip-hop and electronics to create a new kind of world music.
The group recently collaborated with Yemenite dance music group A-Wa, sharing its experience from more than a decade on the music circuit.
Hear what BBB is all about at a spate of upcoming concerts, including:
-A Purim concert at Tel Aviv’s Barby Club, March 26 -Rock Aviv, April 14, Zappa Amphi Shoni
The band is also performing in Spain, Switzerland, France and the United Kingdom throughout April. See their website for more details.
