AB RE Releases New Album “ABER”

Continuing their tradition of playing with words, phrases, and especially archaic terms in the Serbian language, AB RE has released their highly anticipated second studio album, ABER, on September 15, 2023. The album features eight tracks and was released under the label of Krokodil Studio, marking the continuation of their successful partnership that began with their debut album, More Napeto (2020).

In a conversation with the band, we learned that ABER was designed and recorded as a collage of musical retrospectives and new experiments in the genre, which critics have dubbed "Serbian Jazz in Opposition." The album serves as a true "aber"—a voice that encompasses both the past and present of the band, with a unique address to future listeners.

Some of the tracks have been played live for a long time and have undergone multiple versions. Time is not a particularly important dimension for AB RE, as their creative process is continuous, and the recording itself is simply a snapshot of a moment—an "aber." This concept is reinforced by several "audio time capsules"—brief, documentary-style sound recordings preserved from the band's lesser-known past, seamlessly mixed into the album's tracks.

Throughout the album, this concept is ever-present, with songs and instrumentals flowing smoothly, creating an atmosphere that breathes in a free rhythm, unburdened by the aforementioned concept. For the audience who loves or is just discovering AB RE, the album delivers everything it needs, including some inevitable surprises.

As with their previous album, ABER also features material created in collaboration with other artists. This time, the band has worked with French accordionist Yves Beraud (Ivo Bero) from Strasbourg, composing and arranging the instrumental track "Surf." Additionally, the album includes a short vignette, the song Glad, from the theatrical production Brod Ljubavi by playwright Nebojša Romčević, for which AB RE previously composed the music.

The album’s cover art was drawn by Dušan Popović, a comic book artist from Belgrade, now based in Niš, who was inspired by the band’s music and his own interpretation of the album’s title, ABER. The album’s release was preceded by video singles for the tracks Onti and More, More, and to mark the occasion, AB RE is unveiling an enhanced, colorized version of the Onti music video, which will be showcased at the Balkan Animation Film Festival in Belgrade, from October 3–8, 2023, as part of the “ONTI, Festival Edition.”

The album's audio production was handled by Lazar Arsović, with mastering by Marko Perić.

ABER is now available for streaming on all major digital platforms.