Lakiko

About

" Spiritual Balkan folk meets classical standards "

How do you convey songs about loss and tragedy in a way that’s universally understood? The Bosnian, experimental cellist and singer Lana Kostić, Lakiko, does this by painting a haunting, harmonic world through the dark and introspective combination use of the cello and vocals. And sometimes using medical equipment as well. Trained as a classical cellist in Bremen, and the University of Arts in Bern, Lakiko performs both in classic ensembles, such as the Zürcher Oper, and Theater Bern, in addition to composing and perming for individual dance performances. It’s her ability to mix together the skills from both these art forms, that makes her music so unique.

Kostić’s style of isn’t avant-garde, nor is it neo-classical. It’s haunting, and off-kilter, that extenuates the acoustic sound of the cello. Her vocals are sung almost entirely in Bosnian, using a vocal technique from the Sevdalinka tradition, a regional genre of folk music. The end product is haunting and ethereal, like an enchanted forest; her Bosnian vocals tackling political topics rooted in her heritage. Working with the neurology department in Biel, Kostić connected herself to an EEG machine, using her brain waves to score music; allowing her free will to aid, compose, and dictate her musical ideology. It’s through this, you can hear the feeling not only in her voice, but in her conscious music.