Balkan Pop House
A Romanian and Balkan pop-dance style from about 2008 to 2013 with house beats and accordion hooks.
History
Balkan pop house is a name used for a wave of Romanian and Balkan pop-dance hits from about 2008 to 2013 s1. The tracks mix a dance beat with pop singing, accordion or saxophone hooks and simple, catchy choruses s1. Inna's 'Hot' (2008) was an early hit made by the Romanian production team Play & Win s2. Edward Maya and Vika Jigulina's 'Stereo Love' (2009) used an accordion melody and became a worldwide success s1. Alexandra Stan's 'Mr. Saxobeat' (2010) followed with a saxophone hook s3. The records were made cheaply in Bucharest and promoted online and through clubs s2. They were very popular across Europe and beyond s1. The wave faded after about 2013, but its sound still appears in later dance-pop s3. The songs were often first sung in Romanian and then re-recorded in English for other markets s2. Music videos shared online helped the tracks travel far beyond the Balkans s1.
Sound
- A fast four-to-the-floor dance beat
- Accordion or saxophone hooks
- Simple, catchy pop choruses
- Bright synthesizer chords
- Clean, radio-ready production
Key figures
- Inna — Romanian singer behind 'Hot'
- Edward Maya — Romanian producer behind 'Stereo Love'
- Alexandra Stan — Romanian singer behind 'Mr. Saxobeat'
- Play & Win — Romanian production team behind many of the hits
Labels
- Roton — Bucharest , 1994
- Cat Music — Bucharest , 1991
- Play On / Ultra — Bucharest , 2009
Defining tracks
Connections
Came from: Euro-Disco , Italo House , Hi-NRG
Sources
- Stereo Love — Wikipedia
- Inna — Wikipedia
- Spin it back Saturday: Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina - Stereo Love — Relentless Beats (2017)