Various Artists - Croatia on the Move (We Move Music Croatia 2026)

INFO

Croatia on the Move is a double LP compiled by Kevin Cole, Senior Programming Advisor at KEXP, for We Move Music Croatia — the national music export office. Handed a broad catalogue of contemporary Croatian artists and complete freedom to choose, Cole narrowed it to 23 names across four sides, spanning rock, pop, electronic, jazz and experimental music. Side C carries Sara Renar’s “Bring Back the Noise / Vratite mi buku”, from her fifth album Nježne riječi, recorded, produced and mixed at Cycle Studio Zagreb. The record was designed by Kazinoti & Komenda and pressed by Austro Vinyl. It premieres at SHIP Festival in Šibenik, 11 September 2026.

CURATOR’S NOTE

“I was truly honored to be asked by We Move Music Croatia to compile this album. Having already featured several Croatian artists on my show, curating this collection offered me the chance to take a deep dive into the country’s vibrant contemporary music scene. While the scene is so rich that it would take a box set or two to capture every great artist and band, I did my best to showcase the diversity of sounds on this double album.” — Kevin Cole

LINER NOTES

“The We Move Music Croatia team was joined by an expanded crew of cyclists from Fortress of Culture Šibenik as we lifted our spirits the day before ESNS in Groningen and realized we needed a physical product to introduce Croatian bands to the world. Something people would actually want to own and listen to: a vinyl record. Within minutes, it became clear that our friend and legendary radio curator Kevin Cole was the perfect person for the job.” — We Move Music Croatia, from the gatefold

REVIEW

“It is organically followed by the almost experimental ‘Bring Back the Noise / Vratite mi buku’ as a logical but also bold step further into exploring darkness — not as a space of discomfort but as a space of intensity. The song does not try to be pleasant; on the contrary, it builds its own inner tension, slowly tightening it to the edge of endurance.” — Ivana Lulić, Glazba.hr

TRACKLISTING

A1. freekind. – Visualize 02:42
A2. nemanja – Noćni Leptiri 03:38
A3. Chui – Tvrdi Sićevi 05:57
A4. ABOP – Zwei Kilo Zucker 04:12
A5. ŽIVA – I See Right Through You 02:59
A6. ETHER – Nemoj Disati 03:06
B1. Jonathan – Falling 04:34
B2. IDEM – Prvi Mjesec 01:33
B3. Tidal Pull – Na prvi pogled 03:52
B4. DJECA! – Čaroban san 03:33
B5. Them Moose Rush – Old Bones 03:53
B6. Žen – Slavenska Bajka 06:06
C1. Neon Lies – Teen 03:36
C2. pocket palma – Prvi Dan Proljeća 03:31
C3. Bad Daughter – TSK TSK TSK 03:45
C4. Nipplepeople – FRKA 04:22
C5. Sara Renar – Bring Back the Noise / Vratite mi buku 03:19 YouTube
C6. Trokut – Battery Low 04:23
D1. Irena Žilić – Defeats 04:38
D2. Porto Morto – ČEKAM IH 03:48
D3. LHD – Someone’s Coming 03:34
D4. Daliborovo Granje – Mehana 07:24
D5. Kries – Selo Na Okuke 03:22

CREDITS

Selected by: Kevin Cole (KEXP)
Released by: We Move Music Croatia / Ured za izvoz glazbe Hrvatska
Design: Kazinoti & Komenda
Pressing: Austro Vinyl
Format: double LP, four sides, limited edition
Photography: Valerio Baranović

C5 — Sara Renar, “Bring Back the Noise / Vratite mi buku”, from the album Nježne riječi:
Music & lyrics: Sara Renar
Production: Sara Renar, Jan Kincl
Arrangement: Dimitrije Simović, Sara Renar
Recorded & mixed: Jan Kincl (Cycle Studio Zagreb)
Mastering: Sven Weisemann
(C) & (P) 2026 Croatia Records