When Vladimir Savić first gathered musicians under the name Kulin Ban in 2005, it was never meant to become a typical band. What began spontaneously at a wedding in Southern Serbia soon evolved into a foundation-like, non-profit project named after Bosnia’s medieval ruler, Ban Kulin. The debut album, released in 2006, was born out of the clash of four radically different sensibilities.
That bold beginning was short-lived. The project’s original lineup dissolved after its only concert in 2007. Yet Savić held onto the name, steering it toward a new path — one rooted in sevdalinka, the traditional urban song of Bosnia, Serbia, and Montenegro.
Nearly two decades later, Kulin Ban resurfaces with Ad Drinum, an album recorded over the course of a decade. The Drina River, flowing through Savić’s adopted home in Mali Zvornik, became both inspiration and metaphor — a constant, unifying presence that carries memories and stories. Much like the river, the album weaves together diverse elements: underground aesthetics, pop melancholy, and the sacred weight of tradition.
Unlike the more accessible world music approach of their 2006 debut, Ad Drinum dives into the raw depths of sevdah. It tells local stories of Zvornik and Bosnia while echoing universal themes of longing, love, and spirituality. Byzantine modes, Sufi traces, Orthodox chants, and Ottoman echoes intertwine with saz, kaval, and bendir, yet also with guitar and piano motifs.
For Savić, this is not simply preservation but personal interpretation. Raised by a Montenegrin mother and Bosnian father who both sang beautifully, he grew up surrounded by sevdalinka’s almost sacred aura. Rock ’n’ roll, too, shaped his sensibilities, making his path a complex weave of East and West.
Collaboration has always been central to Kulin Ban, and Ad Drinum is no exception. Recorded largely “at a distance” with musicians across the region, it stands as a collective work.
Beyond music, Savić is a man of many callings — writer, filmmaker, teacher, and deacon. His artistic life resists compartmentalization, flowing as freely as the Drina itself. While future projects may include a traditional sevdah album, experimental underground soundscapes, or even rock songs with mystical undertones, his next major undertaking will be a documentary about local bands during and after the Balkan war of the 1990s — a continuation of his lifelong dedication to culture and memory.
(4648318 Records DK, 2021)
