Above and beyond all other considerations remains the fact La Cherga are an immensely talented group of musicians who create music that is both interesting to listen to and fun to move to as well. They have taken both the infectious Eastern European and Balkan sounds which have provided the basis for so much great music and successfully combined it with the rhythms of a music whose beat could make even the dead want to dance, reggae.
Lead vocalist Zvekic has the type of voice that immediately commands your attention no matter what language she is singing in. She not only has a great range, she is able to communicate through sound and intonation as much as she does with actual words. As a result, even on songs where we may not understand the lyrics we've got a fairly good idea what's going on.
While the fall out from the wars that followed the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia are still going on today with people still being arrested to face charges of crimes against humanity, La Cherga offers a ray of hope for the people of the region. They are a reminder that there is an alternative to the ultra-nationalism and ethnic isolation that has marked the Balkans in its recent history. Even if they only succeed in getting people onto the dance floor and moving to the music of those a previous generation took up arms against, they will have done more to heal the wounds scarring the region than any tribunal or committee of reconciliation could ever hope to accomplish.
Music might not be able to save the world, but in this case it offers people the chance to take a couple of steps in the right direction. This is a great band playing smart and danceable music whose very existence is a message of hope. What more could you ask for?
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