Rock Monsters Romania

If you have the luck or misfortune, depending on the case, of arriving at the office where I have been working for about 2-3 weeks, you can hear my colleagues singing all day: “Televizooooooor, color, color.” Well, we are a group of people with very specific tastes in music. Or at least my tastes because I am always the group’s DJ.

Okay, so who are D.E.N.I.S. and why am I writing about them? I was very curious about where all this hype among high school and college kids came from, why they gather to listen to a band or two, and why it’s so popular with younger listeners. I’m writing as if I’m 50, but believe me, I’m not even half that age. Because I was curious about why there’s so much hype around D.E.N.I.S. and wanted to understand if they really know how to sing and sound okay live, I found myself at Expirat for the launch of their vinyl. Surprise, it wasn’t ready for the launch date, so if you want it, and I know you do, send a message on Instagram and reserve one. I heard they’re super cool.

Photo by Toma Hurduc

So, who are D.E.N.I.S.?

D.E.N.I.S. is a garage rock band if you ask me, but everyone knows nobody likes to be labeled, so they can play whatever they want. The band was formed by a guy from Constanța, Daniel Boiangiu, who is the lead vocalist and guitarist, Alex Suciu on drums, Gabriel Gîrghescu on vocals, keyboards, and percussion, Marko Krkljus on guitar, and Marat Ibraghimov on bass. What I find most interesting about this band is that they talk about this big and dark Bucharest exactly as I see it in my head. It seems like they bring you down to earth, but somehow they also make fun of the situation in pure Romanian style. Only Romanians like to laugh at misfortune, right? The concert I attended at Expirat was the vinyl release of their latest EP titled Televizor Color. Everyone was very hyped, and it was clear they were eager to dance and I was there to observe what these people on stage do to make the audience want to see and listen to them so much.

In their opening act, they had Taxawal, one of my favorite bands from the Bucharest underground scene, a band with musicians like I haven’t seen in a long time in such a young band. Each member has an infectious enthusiasm for playing and knows what they are doing very well with their instrument. Something I can’t say about other starting bands in the local Bucharest underground. From Taxawal, I already knew what to expect. I had heard them before, not in the new lineup, but I knew what they were capable of, and I was very curious about how they sound in the new lineup. I was expecting a very good concert with endless riffs and bass like I’ve rarely heard before. Taxawal didn’t disappoint me; I actually liked them even more in the new lineup, and they recently released two singles, Spider and Beach Story, and if you haven’t listened to them on Spotify yet, I don’t know what you’re waiting for. Also, do you remember at the beginning of the year in January when I said here to keep an eye on Taxawal? Well, it seems I wasn’t wrong.

D.E.N.I.S. took the stage with E o lume, the intro that opens their album Miezul Nopții București, an album you can find on CD at Bazar de Muzică, that is if I haven’t taken the last CD. The audience was already moving and familiar with the atmosphere, and the vibe was one of togetherness and a desire for a mosh pit. I was waiting for Discoteca Universul because it seemed like a typical single everyone would listen to, and I was very curious about how they play it live and what vibe the audience has. Plus, the bass on this track is very cool, and if you’ve noticed so far, if the bass and drums sound good, I’m already 75% happy with what I’m hearing. Televizor Color appeared, with high school kids singing the lyrics, and my favorite, Arbeit Arbeit. On this track, I don’t know what they put in, but I always get the vibe that the anvil from Tom and Jerry fell and made such a powerful and melodious sound that this came out. I like what this band does because it is relevant to the place we live in. I’m tired of love nonsense and pink stuff in a gray city full of corporate people selling their souls to live. Crimă Oribilă (În Marele Oraș) is the only song by D.E.N.I.S. that I wouldn’t give to my mom to listen to. I don’t want her to call me desperately to leave the Armenesc neighborhood, the place where I often live my life in the big gray city, and tell me about who else attacked whom or what she saw happening near LondoHome, Boggie, or Wicked.

I have nothing to comment on regarding the vinyl release concert of Televizor Color. I really thought it was a successful event and a nice first-time meeting with a live band after only hearing them on Spotify and in the office with my colleagues. Because I still had many questions after the concert, I also asked the guys a few, many, questions about what they are doing with the band, how they discovered music, and what new things await us. So let’s see what I bugged them with. Enjoy.

Side note:

DB = Daniel Boiangiu
AS = Alex Suciu
GG = Gabriel Girghescu
MK = Marko Krkljus
MI = Marat Ibraghimov

The classic question: How did the band D.E.N.I.S. come into being, and what is the story
behind your name?
DB: I initially started writing music under the name D.E.N.I.S. at the end of 2019, tired of being in so many other bands and searching for a more personal artistic outlet. After releasing a mixtape in 2020, I then gathered some fine musicians to join me at the end of 2021 and that is how the full band started going.

How do you synchronize with each other? What is the flow like and how do you
complement each other if you do? What roles do each of you have?
DB: I write all of the music and lyrics and then we work and learn the songs together in our rehearsal space. The band is very live-oriented, we try to put on a solid live show and play the songs correctly. We love some live jamming sometimes!
MK: I can be a little nit-picky at rehearsals sometimes, but I think it has helped in the long run to make the shows tighter. I also often take it upon myself to ensure that the shows can run smoothly from a technical point of view.
MI: It’s pretty hard with everyone having jobs but we all believe in it so we figure it out somehow.

How did you discover music and what motivates you to keep playing?
DB: I discovered music through my older brother, mostly heavy metal and more extreme stuff. Things really did took a turn for me when Daft Punk released “Random Access Memories” in 2013, the record which made me look into other genres of music as well. I find that there’s enough motivation in the music itself to keep playing.
AS: I grew up in a family where a lot of rock music was listened to, mostly old school hard rock such as Queen and Deep Purple. Consequently, I felt that the transition to a musical instrument, namely the drums, was natural.
GG: Most of my early music taste was from my father, who had both listened to Rock/Alternative as much as old Electronica such as Kraftwerk. This has led me down 2 paths: learning instruments as much as learning production and how a computer can be integrated in music making.
MK: I think Rage Against the Machine was the first band that made me really interested in playing guitar. I guess I kept doing it just because it’s something I really enjoy! I did have times when I felt bored of the instrument, but discovering some new / different music brings back the passion.
MI: I don’t know really, music is the only thing that makes sense in life to me. You gotta be a bit crazy to do this music thing. I love discovering music, mostly from friends and the internet and what other artists listen to. That’s how I discovered music.

Photo by Vladimir Gheorghiu

What are the main musical influences of D.E.N.I.S.?
DB: I don’t shy away from saying King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard is my favourite band haha. I take influence from a lot of music genres and different artistic fields, like film. Speaking of which, I really love film soundtracks.
AS: every genre of music influences and teaches me something useful, however, my main musical influences are The Police, Toto, Led Zeppelin and Rush.
GG: In terms of influences there are too many to list here, but one band that always stood out to me was Gorillaz.
MK: Some of my favourite bands at the moment would be Deerhoof, black midi, OMNI, Tera Melos, Palm. Also, I’m really enjoying Willow Smith’s new record, it’s got some rather atypical elements for a pop album.

Is there a specific story or event that inspired you to create post-punk music?
DB: I don’t think we created post-punk music, not even the romanian version of it! We just play whatever we feel like and don’t try to think so much about genres and categories. Pigeon-holing is not good for art.
MK: wtf is post-punk anyway

How is your music received by the public and critics?
DB: I would say pretty well. People keep on coming to our shows, especially in Bucharest, which is something we’re especially thankful for. There’s no such thing as a specialized “music press” in Romania, but the few reviews we’ve gotten have been decent.
AS: From my point of view, each show is unique and the audience gives me an energy that motivates me in everything that I do.
MK: We’re lucky to have a dedicated crowd that shows up consistently and really enjoys our gigs!
MI: It’s been surprisingly very good.

Can you tell us about the creative process behind your latest EP?
DB: The last EP comes as a continuation of our debut album “Miezul Nopții București”. I wanted to expand the musical and lyrical world while writing some more straightforward punk songs. It’s safe to say the next record won’t sound much like this EP.

Do you have a favorite song from your repertoire? Why is it special to you?
DB: I don’t have a favourite song but I have some soft spots for a couple (“Baby Jane”, “Deci Despre Asta Vorbeati Voi”, “Televizor Color”)
AS: My favorite Denis songs are Dodeskaden and Arbeit Arbeit.
GG: My pick would definitely be “Pe Jos” because it blends very well the emotional theme of the band with the raw punk experience that everyone loves.
MK: I really like Crimă Oribilă and Citadine Soundbox, they’re just super fun to play. Same goes for Fridge Mold 1, especially with the extended outro we started doing recently.
MI: “Deci despre asta vorbeați voi” has a lot of sentimental value for me. It’s very freeing to play the last part of the song on stage.

What themes or messages do you try to convey through your music?
DB: The album and EP deal with themes of escapism and losing your head in the midst of the big city. I try to use my music and artworks to conjure up vivid images and films in the mind of the listener, to drag him into the surreal world of DENIS!

How was your first live performance experience? Do you have any special memories
from that concert?
DB: Our first live show went great! There was a ton of pressure, cause it was a big show at Expirat, we were a new band AND it was our debut album launch. I don’t want to recall the extremely stressful months prior to the concert, but I can safely say it was totally worth it! We love our fans and the people that supported us then and still do.
AS: I play live shows since 2006 but I still had a little anxiety some days before this show because it was our first live appearance as the band Denis.
MK: I was a little anxious before the show, as it was our first one as a band, but it turned out well! I also think we’ve improved a lot as a band since then, and are much more relaxed now.
MI: It was a big deal for me. I felt like this is it, whether I can do this or not. I was so fucking scared.

What was the biggest mistake at that concert and how did you correct it then or in the
Future?
DB: Probably some loss of synch between the band members, but we’ve since learned to correct such mistakes much quicker.
AS: I don’t remember any “big” mistake live so far but I look forward to the future hahaha.
MK: There’s a short part of “Despre Asta Vorbeați Voi” where I’m the only one playing. I got distracted for a second and completely forgot the part right when it was to time to play it! I ended up playing some complete nonsense there, it was quite funny.
MI: Being nervous. You just gotta keep doing it and rehearsing a lot and you will feel more comfortable on stage.

How do you perceive the post-punk music scene in Bucharest and Romania in general?
DB: I am very happy to see a lot of younger bands coming in and joining the movement. After us, PLANT and CARDINAL, there’s bands younger than us playing very interesting music in Bucharest and other cities. Not all are post punk, but I’ve definitely enjoyed the music of GETCHOO, TAXAWAL, PRIVATE VENGANZA, DESOLATE MOORS, SCRAG.
MI: I mean there are new bands and it’s amazing, not how it was like 5 years ago. Hope it goes well.

Photo by Toma Hurduc

What has been the most memorable and the worst concert you have played so far and Why?
DB: Most memorable and a personal favourite was Halloween Bash 2022 at Sims Club with PLANT. The place was an old run-down bar, with a stripper pole and a pool table. Tons of whacky stuff happened that night, between a live rooster on one of the tables, a horrifying alcoholic punch, corn on the cob and the entire crowd dressed up in spooky costumes. Such a blast!
As for the worst concert, there were some shows during which we had some technical difficulties which really ruined the mood, but none that were catastrophic, thankfully.
MK: Our show at Summer Well was amazing to play, and a little nerve-racking too. There were a lot of people who maybe wouldn’t have heard of us otherwise, so I felt there was some pressure to deliver as good a show as we could. I’m really grateful for it, it felt a little unreal for our second one ever. As for the worst one, there was one of our earlier gigs where a combination of tiredness, communication and technical issues unfortunately led to a not particularly great performance from us, but we recovered from that and moved on.
MI: The first show at Filaret16 was amazing for me. I felt like we actually got this shit.

How do you connect with your fans? Do you have any special ways of interacting with Them?
DB: I like to talk to the fans that write to me on my Instagram page @denisach_e, which is also the main communication means for the band. DM me your stupid ideas!
AS: I find time to speak with everyone that reaches me and asks me questions.
MK: I’m not that active in posting on social media, but I’ll gladly talk to people at our shows!
MI: I mean I try but I have huge social anxiety so I’m not as talkative when I have to play a show or after.

What are your future plans for the band D.E.N.I.S.? Are you preparing any new special Project?
DB: I’m currently developing the story and music for the 2nd album. We hope to have a new song out by the end of the year. And, of course, our yearly Halloween Bash concert!
MK: I’m working on making use of the slightly more relaxed schedule I’ll have in the upcoming months towards getting a Cardinal album finished!

Where do you see yourselves musically in the next five years?
DB: Prog rock, I dunno.
MI: Hopefully not depressed or dead. Kidding.

Do you have any upcoming collaborations or do you wish to collaborate with certain
bands or artists?
DB: I have collaborated with a great garage rock musician from Boston, NY recently. His name is Nicholas Burgess and our collab song will be out soon. Cool Sorcery, the amazing Brazilian garage-punk one-man band has reached out to me to perform on one of his songs, which I’m very much looking forward to! I want to shout out Cool Sorcery for his amazing mixing and mastering work for our last EP and single.

If you could choose any location in the world to perform a concert, where would it be and
Why?
DB: I would really love to perform on a beach somewhere on the southern coast of Spain or Italy. Or in Venice!!
MK: My dream venue would probably be the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels, tons of great artists have played there and I’ve heard it sounds great as well!
MI: Anywhere.

What advice do you have for other young bands looking to break into the post-punk
music scene?
DB: Don’t only play opening act shows! Make your own headlining shows and hype your shit up! A band that only plays opening act slots will forever remain an opening act!
MK: What Daniel said, and also rehearse as much as you can! Not only is it important to sound cohesive, but it allows you to be much more relaxed on stage and deliver a good show.
MI: Rehearse. Rehearse. Listen to new music.

Photo by Toma Hurduc

What do you do in your free time when you’re not involved in musical activities?
DB: I love to cook and roam around the streets of Bucharest. I also do graphic design, both as a profession and as a freelancer. Reach out if you want artworks on my page @different_denis .
MK: To be fair, most of my time, free or not, tends to be taken up by “musical activities”, since I also play in Cardinal, work as a live sound engineer, and sometimes help out with recording and mixing music bands. When I am free, I tend to unwind by watching some movies / shows, catching up with friends. I’d like to pick up a new hobby soon enough, just gotta discover it!
MI: Try to see my friends and meet new people or try to learn anything new.

How do you maintain your inspiration and motivation in your music?
DB: I do it by constantly listening to music, both new releases and exploring records from the past. Life is not long enough to listen to all the music ever written, and that’s a shame.
GG: I do not believe in motivation that much, if you are willing to show up consistently, motivation will follow. As for inspiration, being actually aware of what is happening around you can be very useful.
MK: Motivation comes and goes, but being passionate about something is, most of the time, enough of a driving force to keep going! As for music, I do listen to a lot of new (for me) things, but I find myself revisiting some of the records I know and love in the recent months.
MI: I don’t know, it gets very hard sometimes. Sometimes I wanna quit playing and listening to music. I don’t know how to overcome that. I guess just wait and breathe.

What is your usual process for composing songs? Do you have any specific rituals?
DB: I find that when you empty your mind of cluttered thoughts, that’s when inspiration starts to creep in. For example, people trying to fall asleep may find themselves very inspired, because the mind is trying to rest and it leaves space for creative energies to flow. I usually write the lyrics first.

Who is mainly responsible for writing the lyrics and how do you choose the themes for
your songs?
DB: I write the lyrics myself. Most of the material comes from a personal and intimate space.

Is there a song in your repertoire that has a special story you can share with us?
DB: Most of them are about love/relationships. For example, “Arbeit Arbeit” is about feeling guilty that loving your partner has started to feel like a job.

Photo by Vladimir Pogonariu

How do you manage to balance your personal life with your musical career?
DB: It was very difficult for me to do this for many years, but recently I’ve started to balance them out a bit better. It’s always a learning process and I advise anyone going through it to be very aware of the process.
AS: For me it’s easy to keep a balance between I am very well organized, I use a daily google calendar and I usually know my schedule for the whole week.
GG: Being more conscious of how limited time can be as an adult really helps me prioritize projects and work accordingly, and trying also to have some fun in between.
MK: It’s pretty difficult, mostly due to having a schedule that’s really unpredictable, and completely opposite to most other people, but I manage to make it work most of the time. I do struggle sometimes, and still working on being better at managing my time so that I can make the most of it without feeling burned out.
MI: I don’t.

Do you have any messages for the people who have been to your concerts versus those
who have never been? And for the people who will read this interview?
DB: For people out there in the crows: we await your return with open arms.
For those who about to join: we are DENIS, with dots inbetween!
For those reading right now: don’t you have some other place to be??
MI: Thank you for your time and energy.

Have I convinced you to listen to D.E.N.I.S. and line up for the Televizor Color vinyl? What can you do now? Listen to them on Spotify, buy their music and merch, and don’t forget to follow them online.

Text and interview by Ionela Pleșan