DANTCHEV:DOMAIN (FI/BG/US), led by Bulgarian Voice from Finland, Anna Dantchev, is a Helsinki-based international band with a great experimental taste of the world of music.
The unique sound of the band delivers the universal life stories with a balanced mixture of Balkan folk, Scandinavian jazz and cinematic storytelling - flavored time to time with some squonk attitude. Original compositions are hailing from Dantchev’s knowledge of her deep Bulgarian music heritage. Paired with instrumental skills of established Finnish musicians, Dantchev’s musical language has found its’ audience across the genres world wide. Like a life itself, the band’s music takes the audience from serious to joyous, also ready to jump on the dance floor.
DANTCHEV:DOMAIN creates music that is at once sacred and deeply rooted in various traditions, but also crosses the borders of rhythms.
Their second album The Lions We Are (Glomama Music) was released in 2022 both as a CD and digital. Also as a first Finnish album, it was released in Dolby Atmos version.
The debut album Say It (Glomama Music, 2020) won the prestige Finnish Folk Album award.
It was also listed in Roots Music Report Top World Albums 2020 and WMCE monthly charts.
The band was selected to represent Finnish Bulgarian sound in
MOST - The Bridge for Balkan Music.
Anna Dantchev (FI/BG): vocals, tupan-drum
Erno Haukkala (FI): trombone, sousaphone
Kenneth Ojutkangas (FI/US): tuba, guitar
Antti-Pekka Rissanen (FI): drums
SELECTED PRESS REVIEWS AND QUOTES:
“A rich cross-cultural journey of exquisite world fusion which includes exceptional use of brass, percussion, and superior ethnic vocals that go from urban to otherworldly!” (Lee Henderson/ Big Beautiful Noise
“Say It painstakingly places and moves sounds about to express a mood, a feeling, a memory, like the pieces on a chessboard, locked in harmony instead of battle. Dantchev’s compositions, her vocals, and arrangements combine to craft an audio memoire using intriguing instrumentation, that creates a sometimes solemn and martial sound defined by the deep brass of sousaphone, tuba and trombone. Dantchev’s voice, too, is brassy and round with a slight bell-ringing vibrato.”(Rootsworld/ Carolina Amoruso)
“this is a glimpse into Dantchev’s heart and soul bringing a longing for the listener to experience this music live.”(Songlines / Fiona Talkington)
“A wide palette of beautiful chants, supported by exceptionally beautiful instrumental arrangements. Sometimes cinematic, sometimes rock-hard, sometimes dreamy, but always very melodic.” (Rootstime, BE)
“With their mixture of Balkan folk, Scandinavian jazz and western rock, DANTCHEV:DOMAIN has a unique sound which leaves a big impression.” (Popmagazineheaven, NL)
“DANTCHEV:DOMAIN is a quintet from Helsinki with great experimental desire (…) The instrumentation is rich, especially on the blowing side (…) The beautiful ballad ‘My love’ highlights Anna’s clear, soulful vibrato.” (Lira Musikmagazin, SE)
“Dantchev’s voice is unique: the technique with its wild vibratos and ‘crowings’ is in possession, but more important than the technique is the feeling that we are now going with full speed without safety ropes and embellishment. The freshness and limitlessness of the music is also emphasised by the band whose instrumentation is exceptional.” (Kansanmusiikki, FI)
“The dark-toned instrumentation and Dantchev’s strong voice are at their best when accompanied by the sheer dose of drama found on the album. (…) As a music made in Finland, this has its own interesting nuance.” (Jazzpossu, FI)
“Especially the wind players and the guitarist blow you completely off the socks. (…) If anyone still dares to whine about a failed multicultural society, let him or her hear this wonder of world fusion, because this kind of magical music can only arise when cultures meet and talk to each other, in this case musically. Then you get a sublime masterpiece like this.” (Moors Magazine, NL)
“The band’s warm sound and ability to make soft turns, even in seemingly tight arrangement curves, is great to listen to. ‘My Happy Song’, which introduces a more electric band sound, and ‘Oh Male’, which surprisingly throws a jazzy sound, are examples of a seamless collaboration between a vocalist and a band.” (Desibeli, FI)
“But when Dantchev opens her mouth, it doesn’t remain unclear who is the reigning queen of the record. Her singing is a great combination of Bulgarian ethno techniques, folk sensitivity, jazz nuances and a sense of blues along the record. The dark-toned voice is very strong and expressive. Without mumbling, one believes every word from this singer.” (Suomijazz, FI)
“An entity that is surprisingly multifaceted and free-breathing.” (Maailman Kuvalehti, FI)
The unique sound of the band delivers the universal life stories with a balanced mixture of Balkan folk, Scandinavian jazz and cinematic storytelling - flavored time to time with some squonk attitude. Original compositions are hailing from Dantchev’s knowledge of her deep Bulgarian music heritage. Paired with instrumental skills of established Finnish musicians, Dantchev’s musical language has found its’ audience across the genres world wide. Like a life itself, the band’s music takes the audience from serious to joyous, also ready to jump on the dance floor.
DANTCHEV:DOMAIN creates music that is at once sacred and deeply rooted in various traditions, but also crosses the borders of rhythms.
Their second album The Lions We Are (Glomama Music) was released in 2022 both as a CD and digital. Also as a first Finnish album, it was released in Dolby Atmos version.
The debut album Say It (Glomama Music, 2020) won the prestige Finnish Folk Album award.
It was also listed in Roots Music Report Top World Albums 2020 and WMCE monthly charts.
The band was selected to represent Finnish Bulgarian sound in
MOST - The Bridge for Balkan Music.
Anna Dantchev (FI/BG): vocals, tupan-drum
Erno Haukkala (FI): trombone, sousaphone
Kenneth Ojutkangas (FI/US): tuba, guitar
Antti-Pekka Rissanen (FI): drums
SELECTED PRESS REVIEWS AND QUOTES:
“A rich cross-cultural journey of exquisite world fusion which includes exceptional use of brass, percussion, and superior ethnic vocals that go from urban to otherworldly!” (Lee Henderson/ Big Beautiful Noise
“Say It painstakingly places and moves sounds about to express a mood, a feeling, a memory, like the pieces on a chessboard, locked in harmony instead of battle. Dantchev’s compositions, her vocals, and arrangements combine to craft an audio memoire using intriguing instrumentation, that creates a sometimes solemn and martial sound defined by the deep brass of sousaphone, tuba and trombone. Dantchev’s voice, too, is brassy and round with a slight bell-ringing vibrato.”(Rootsworld/ Carolina Amoruso)
“this is a glimpse into Dantchev’s heart and soul bringing a longing for the listener to experience this music live.”(Songlines / Fiona Talkington)
“A wide palette of beautiful chants, supported by exceptionally beautiful instrumental arrangements. Sometimes cinematic, sometimes rock-hard, sometimes dreamy, but always very melodic.” (Rootstime, BE)
“With their mixture of Balkan folk, Scandinavian jazz and western rock, DANTCHEV:DOMAIN has a unique sound which leaves a big impression.” (Popmagazineheaven, NL)
“DANTCHEV:DOMAIN is a quintet from Helsinki with great experimental desire (…) The instrumentation is rich, especially on the blowing side (…) The beautiful ballad ‘My love’ highlights Anna’s clear, soulful vibrato.” (Lira Musikmagazin, SE)
“Dantchev’s voice is unique: the technique with its wild vibratos and ‘crowings’ is in possession, but more important than the technique is the feeling that we are now going with full speed without safety ropes and embellishment. The freshness and limitlessness of the music is also emphasised by the band whose instrumentation is exceptional.” (Kansanmusiikki, FI)
“The dark-toned instrumentation and Dantchev’s strong voice are at their best when accompanied by the sheer dose of drama found on the album. (…) As a music made in Finland, this has its own interesting nuance.” (Jazzpossu, FI)
“Especially the wind players and the guitarist blow you completely off the socks. (…) If anyone still dares to whine about a failed multicultural society, let him or her hear this wonder of world fusion, because this kind of magical music can only arise when cultures meet and talk to each other, in this case musically. Then you get a sublime masterpiece like this.” (Moors Magazine, NL)
“The band’s warm sound and ability to make soft turns, even in seemingly tight arrangement curves, is great to listen to. ‘My Happy Song’, which introduces a more electric band sound, and ‘Oh Male’, which surprisingly throws a jazzy sound, are examples of a seamless collaboration between a vocalist and a band.” (Desibeli, FI)
“But when Dantchev opens her mouth, it doesn’t remain unclear who is the reigning queen of the record. Her singing is a great combination of Bulgarian ethno techniques, folk sensitivity, jazz nuances and a sense of blues along the record. The dark-toned voice is very strong and expressive. Without mumbling, one believes every word from this singer.” (Suomijazz, FI)
“An entity that is surprisingly multifaceted and free-breathing.” (Maailman Kuvalehti, FI)