Gibelin Agency

Authors: Anton Hristov, Iliyana Braykova

“A sound techie with an artistic soul, enigmatically romantic, a cynical dreamer with multiple layers of controversy.” This is Anton from Gibelin in his own words. In his installment of the series “Our Playlist” Tony talks all things boutique and freaky, and tells the story of his life journey.

Divine – Shoot Your Shot

Divine is a legend, a true gay icon. I discovered him recently. He’s a drag queen and a singer. The song “Shoot Your Shot” is truly awesome. The visuals, the energy, the lyrics scream: Do it! This is one of the songs I play in the morning when I wake up. This way I can start my day in the right mood. And besides, the track’s the ultimate party maker. Every time I play it at a party, it causes furor because the music is so amazing and the visuals rock. Divine looks pretty much like the embodiment of kitsch in a dress and then out of a sudden he starts roaring with this male voice. It’s a freaky party through and through. 

Donna Summer – I Feel Love

Donna Summer is outstanding. This song, „I feel love“, simply plays on my emotions. It’s disco, but there’s also an electronic vibe to it. She sings so amazingly, so sensually. Some people say that when she recorded the song she was masturbating. And indeed, you can’t help but feel that this woman was experiencing something strong. Well, that’s just a rumor. A musician told me about this once. Allegedly, during the recording session she asked for the lights to be turned off and for candles to be lit. The atmosphere must have been special.

Mila Robert – Nikoy ne moje

Mila Robert’s persona is one of a kind. She is creative, and she has her own aesthetics. When you say Mila Robert, you know what it’s about. Plus, she covers Azis in “Nikoy ne moje”, and I’m a secret fan of his. I really like how Mila makes the song her own. The video is also fabulous. Her version is so catchy, especially the way she articulates the lyrics. I don’t like the original nearly as much. With Mila, everything is wrapped up in aesthetics, and I really enjoy that. The other thing is that she has sung at Sofia Pride, for which she has my respect. 

Kraftklub – Chemie Chemie Ya

When I was still living in Bulgaria, I’d listen to Kraftklub a lot. I had discovered them by accident while visiting my sister in Bremen. I turned on the TV and came across a concert by this very cool pop-rock-rap band called Kraftklub. Normally, I’m not a huge fan of German music, but they are something I love listening to. I got addicted. I associate this band with my transition period, when I was trying to move from Bulgaria to Germany and when I was learning German. This band gave me a boost. I would listen to them and think, “Tony, you’re moving soon.”. Chemie Chemie Ya is one of their more serious songs and has a big impact on me. In a way, it suits my inner melancholy.

Rammstein – Ausländer

I really like Rammstein’s song “Ausländer” and its message. I just vibe with the lyrics. I like the concept that comes across through the different languages in the song. The video is also uber conceptual. In general, I like their latest album very much. I didn’t expect Rammstein to do something that would impress me, but their latest album, especially the songs Ausländer, Radio and Deutschland, made me experience something great and new.

Black Light Smoke, Cabaret Nocturne – Take me out (Cabaret Nocturne Remix)

Cabaret nocturne is a DJ who opened my eyes to electronic music. I listen to metal most of all, but somehow he managed to convert me. This song, “Take me out”, is nothing special in terms of lyrics, but I like its vibe. To be honest, there’s not a single Cabaret nocturne track I don’t enjoy, but this one is special.

Oratnitza – Vezden moma

I couldn’t help but mention Oratnitza. Out of their whole last album my favorites are “Pushka pukna” and “Vezden moma”. “Pushka pukna” is more explosive, and “Vezden moma” is a song that gives me goosebumps. In it, Diana sings outstandingly. The song has a special vibe. The combination of the drum, the didgeridoo, the kaval and Diana’s voice caresses the upper side of your ear. Everything is in perfect symbiosis. I left a piece of myself in this album, Alter Ethno, and this song feels like a child of mine. We recorded it together, I mixed it. The entire recording process happened in a week. It was quite hectic, but it turned out fantastic. 

Boy Harsher – Pain

Boy Harsher’s style is a mixture of dark wave and electro pop. The song “Pain” really hits me at the right spot. When I feel down, I listen to it to feel even more down. The way she sings just goes under your skin and right into your soul. It’s a gloomy, dark dance. I really want to go to their concert sometime. They rarely come to Europe and some time ago, when they were going to play in London, I was ready to buy a ticket and go watch them live. Unfortunately, while my friend and I were getting things in motion, the tickets sold out. The concert venue had been too small.

Molchat doma – Na dne

Molchat doma is a Russian band that does something like a dark wave disco. It’s quite strange. I like them because they appeal to my boutique taste. This is to say that they are also very conceptual. They sound like they were recorded on a tape recorder in 1973. The very idea of doing something with a Soviet flavor, but in 2018 and making it sound authentic — that’s a big deal. They are really cool.

Altin Gün – Süpürgesi Yoncadan 

This is my latest discovery. I was at Dilyana and Valentin’s place and Valentin played Altin Gün. So, you see, there is a Gibelin connection in this one. As soon as I heard Altin Gün for the first time, I immediately listened to all their albums. As a level of production, this is something unique. These are old Turkish songs blended with a sound similar to Arctic Monkeys. It’s amazing. Created with a concept in mind, really neat. You listen to something ingenious. It is at the same time authentic, modern and hits both people with a taste for oriental music and those who listen to rock. I love such crazy music.