Marcus 5

Matrix Music Arhiv presents the debut album by Slovenian group Marcus 5, built from original archival recordings from the early 1980s. Short on funds in their day, they never released a full album, though three songs appeared on the cassette compilation Alternativna AA scena.

One of them, Brez besed (“Without Words”), reached the top five on the Stop Pops chart on Slovenian National Radio, now Val 202. Formed in an attic in 1982, the group brought together Borut Kržišnik, Friderik Vargazon-Fredi, Jani Hace, Zvone Kukec and Vinci Vogue Anžlovar.

Often cited as Slovenia’s first recognised funk group by Tomaž Sršen of Radio Glas Ljubljana, Marcus 5 mixed alternative funk with a new romantic look, drawing from Gang of Four, Talking Heads, Defunkt and Joy Division. Later joined by Mario Marolt and Mare Sever, they became known as one of Ljubljana’s best live bands, playing Disco FV, What Is Alternative? and Novi Rock in 1984.