Bucharest’s Post-Pandemic Experimental Music Scene

Published April, 2025
by Dragoș Rusu

The COVID-19 pandemic in Romania conspicuously altered the landscape of the music scene. While there is a strange and inexplicable feeling that something is missing, the post-pandemic experimental music scene in Bucharest has faced significant challenges, struggling with the inherent difficulties of operating independently. Despite obstacles, the community’s creative ethos and commitment to the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) approach have stimulated idiosyncratic forms of resilience, innovation, and interdisciplinary exploration.

The pandemic exacerbated issues within Romania’s independent creative sector, particularly the lack of infrastructure and financial support. Studies have shown that performing arts and music were among the hardest hit, with significant declines in activity. As live performances temporarily stopped in 2020, artists, independent promoters, and venues struggled for a few years while in lockdown to adapt to the recent challenges by exploring new digital avenues, home recordings, and collaborative online projects. 

However, with the return of in-person events, the city’s experimental music scene has undergone complex transformations marked by an insular sense of community, hybrid performance formats, and an expanded sonic vocabulary. I call the transformations complex not only for lack of a better term but also because one can always scrutinise a state of affairs from a different perspective, decentralising the normative lens through which we understand culture and art. I know it sounds cliché, but we are truly witnessing unprecedented planetary changes in human history, and certainly a key factor in this global movement – ​​perhaps even the engine of globalisation – is technology.

In Search of a Forgotten Experimental Ethos

Philosopher and composer Theodor Adorno once wrote: “Art keeps itself alive through its social force of resistance; unless it reifies itself, it becomes a commodity.” In this sense, we can ask ourselves what role experimental music can (still) have in today’s post-humanism.

Like many post-socialist countries in Central and Eastern Europe, Romania underwent a rapid cultural transformation after the 1989 Revolution. The collapse of communist-era propaganda, censorship, and restrictions, combined with newly opened borders and surrender to Western Capitalism, led to a more stratified cultural landscape, where an underground experimental music scene began quietly forming at the foot of the establishment. The country navigated rapid shifts and embraced Western influences, and social class divisions became more apparent. 

Perhaps Romania rarely experienced a golden age of experimental music, although it has inherited an important legacy from the avant-garde, experimental, and contemporary sonic realm. From the late 60s and throughout the 70s and 80s, significant contributions have been made by an entire generation of composers such as Octavian Nemescu, Ana Maria Avram, Horațiu Rădulescu, Corneliu Cezar, Myriam Marbe, Lucian Mețianu, Doina Rotaru, Costin Miereanu, and Iancu Dumitrescu, among many others. (You can listen to some of it in this podcast from The Attic.) But after the Revolution in 1989, this experimental ethos has been transformed and adapted to new cultural demands and expectations, and primarily viewed through a capitalist lens—as a market to be cultivated, expanded, and consumed, with the potential to thrive and peak or fade into obscurity. 

In Bucharest, the dominance of mainstream genres like techno and house (and their subsidiaries) often overshadows experimental music, limiting performance venues and audience reach. This environment makes it challenging for experimental musicians to secure the necessary resources and platforms to showcase their work. 

Due to structural challenges, Bucharest’s underground and experimental music communities operate in a landscape marked by a lack of state funding, limited performance spaces, and a relatively niche audience. Unlike welfare European cities, where experimental music usually benefits from public grants or established venues, Bucharest’s scene relies on artists taking matters into their own hands, transforming small independent spaces into temporary performance venues.

Venues such as Control Club, Platforma Wolff, or Club Guesthouse maintain the scene’s status quo and rotate various crowds and event concepts in their artistic program. Meanwhile, at the border of these well-established, self-sustained, and profit-oriented venues, artist-run and smaller initiatives such as Filaret 16, Zadar Bar, Barton, Manasia, and the now-defunct Krănuț continue to play an important role in fostering a space for sonic experimentation and artistic exchange.

Habits of Representation in the DIY

The Colectiv nightclub fire on October 30, 2015, was a major tragedy in Bucharest. It occurred during a free metal concert by the band Goodbye to Gravity, when pyrotechnics ignited flammable acoustic foam in the venue. The fire spread rapidly, and due to poor safety conditions, like locked or inadequate exits, 64 people lost their lives, and many more were injured. It exposed deep systemic issues: corruption in public safety inspections, negligence, and lack of accountability in both the public and private sectors. For the DIY and underground cultural scene in Bucharest, the impact was profound. After the fire, there was a wave of inspections and closures targeting clubs, bars, and independent cultural spaces. Many DIY venues operated in semi-legal or improvised conditions, often in old industrial buildings not up to fire code. The enforcement that followed Colectiv made it nearly impossible for many to continue without major renovations, permits, or legal reclassifications. Some collectives became more careful, while others became more politicized, channeling frustration into activism or creating safer, more community-oriented environments. There was also a kind of fragmentation; events moved to more obscure or private settings, affecting the cohesion and visibility of the scene.

During lockdowns, artists relied heavily on virtual exchanges, which fostered new relationships that transcended local borders. However, this digital connectivity has not yet been fully translated into physical events, as musicians, sound artists, and curators continue to emphasize the need for collectivity over individualism. 

Romanian composer Diana Miron says in a podcast for The Attic that “there are very few independent musicians, composers and performers, especially those working in the field of electronic, sound installation or electro-acoustic sound. They are separated from the long tradition of the Bucharest Conservatory School of Composition. This type of duality will stay until musicians from both sides meet and collaborate of their own accord, not under the formal pressure of contests or commissioned deadlines.” 

Despite its vitality, the experimental music scene in Bucharest faces challenges, particularly in terms of funding, accessibility, and institutional support. Many artists and organisers rely on grants, crowdfunding, or self-financing to sustain their projects. However, as the cultural sector adapts to the post-pandemic reality, there is a growing demand for more structural support and recognition from both public and private institutions. 

To make sense of the decline in the last few years of venues and art spaces available, Romanian guitarist Dan Michiu (founder of local record label Beach Buddies), argues in an article for The Quietus that Bucharest is “a fast-gentrifying city” and usually “any form of independent organising is viewed with scepticism”. Michiu, an experimental musician, chose to forgo formal training, instead teaching himself to play the electric guitar and experimenting with effects pedals to create unique sounds. His journey underscores the community’s emphasis on self-learning and creative exploration. 

Independent Artists and Record Labels 

Historically, Bucharest’s experimental music landscape has been developed under a strong self-imposed DIY ethos. From the outside, it may appear that this small scene has shrunk and become even more isolated in recent years. This inward-looking character reflects a genuine need for firm infrastructures and safe spaces where local musicians, sound artists or researchers, and producers can meet, interact, collectively listen, collaborate, or experiment with sound.

Active since 2017, Michiu’s label Beach Buddies brings together a wide range of music projects, from Jah Cuzzi, Omida, and Billa Ensemble, to Didona, as well as experimental musicians and producers Laurențiu Coțac, Diana Miron, Șerban Ilicevici, Somnoroase Păsărele, ASMR, and Cristian Fierbințeanu, among others. The label’s catalogue is not limited to Romanian producers, welcoming international projects such as Nadesha (a project of the Vienna-based musician Andreas Haslaue) or Mathias Preuß (a German saxophone player active in the free improvisation scene).

One of the defining aspects of the city’s DIY culture is the rise of independent labels and collectives that function outside mainstream industry structures. Future Nuggets, an influential collective, embodies this approach by curating and distributing music without traditional industry gatekeeping. Similarly, collectives like Corp. provide platforms for underrepresented artists, particularly women and non-binary musicians in electronic and experimental music. In 2011, Ion Dumitrescu founded the record label Future Nuggets with the intent to “invent a scene in Bucharest.” For over a decade, the label has gathered a distinct range of artists, producers, and musicians, such as Plevna, Suce Fraga, Sarra, and Inana. Some of them are constantly reinventing themselves under different conceptual projects (such as Australopitecus Oltensis, Ing. Coman and Xenofolk). The label’s infamous series Sounds Of The Unheard From Romania has reached its fourth volume in 2022. “I would say that we have been for so long immersed in numerous music styles besides manele to the point we don’t differentiate or target a particular influence per se. Sort of going past fusion and becoming syntheses,” says Ion in a feature for Bandcamp Daily.

Other labels that navigate between different modes of production and aesthetics are The Cristea Institute (a tape-oriented label based in Bucharest and London), Mnemosyne Recordings (based in Cluj-Napoca and home of projects like Bosses Hang, Thorn Bug and Watashi Dake), New Romanian Weird (a sound platform that promotes experimental music, sound art, electronic, electroacoustic and contemporary works, signed by artists from the Romanian underground, such as Admina, Matze, Makunouchi Bento, Bogdana Dima and Dan Sociu among others) and Orgone Dealers (a label who gathered experimental works from the likes of Andrei Raicu, Sian Brie and Nava Spațială, among others).

Live Bands and Projects

Names like AL.Ehtifal, Deathbycoconut, Multumult, Karpov Not Kasparov and Tobă Moarte stand out as some of the most relevant live bands and projects.

AL.Ehtifal Project is a musical ensemble based on the idea of integrating spontaneous thoughts into performance moments as a way of communicating. The word Al-Ehtifal comes from Arabic and means The Celebration. The project challenges the dominant musical landscape and established norms through authentic forms of artistic expression born out of the need for experimentation. Its flexible members include musicians from Romania, Syria, and Iran: Andrei Raicu, Ariadna Ene Iliescu, Bogdana Dima, Lehel Vitalyos, Mohamad Zatari, and Sara Eslami.

Deathbycoconut comes from the years of post-communist socio-economic transition in Bucharest and the disappointment that came with it. Comprising bassist Andreea Valentina Baciu (Suce Fraga), Vlad Ionescu on drums, Alex Bălă on keyboard, Adrian George Dupont (Nitchji oh) on vocals and guitar, and Horațiu Șerbănescu (Plevna), Deathbycoconut is an experimental music band, founded in Bucharest in 2015. The style approach is eclectic and combines several musical traditions (from krautrock and post-punk to hip-hop, electro, and pop). Their music is energetic and rhythm-driven, pulsating obsessively and decadently, and constantly seeks to surprise through original ways of using both voice and traditional instruments.

Multumult is a musical group of Bucharest improvisers founded in 2015, including Călin Torsan, Marina Pingulescu, Mihai Balabaș, Vasile Gherghel, and Marius Achim. Their music combines acoustic and electric instruments (violin, guitar, wind, and percussion) with electronic equipment operated in real time. “We have developed various approaches and projects, sometimes in collaboration with other artists: audio recordings, live illustration for some silent movies, completion of some fine art events, folklore processing in a current language, the inclusion in our programs of oriental improvisation or the Byzantine religious melody.”

The eccentric electronic duo Karpov not Kasparov, formed by Valeriu Borcos and Eduard Gabia, built their music according to the rules of a chess game, including the actions and reactions between drums, synthesizers, and voices. The result is a mix of aerobics lessons, contemporary dance, silent films, ballet, and a live projection of a chess game played by the audience. 

Tobă Moarte is a duo based in Bucharest, formed in 2022. The band comprises visual artists Miruna Radovici and Vlad Stoica, a founding member of several local bands (The Amsterdams, Guillotines, Coughy). The project was created after a group of visual artists occupied the historic Malmaison building in 2021. Thus, the two began composing their first songs in the studio of artist Lea Rasovszky, and in the winter of 2024, they released their first double single, Lola.

Some experimental artists decided to move from Bucharest years ago, but continue to be more or less involved in the city’s cultural life. Notable examples include Simina Oprescu, Cosmin Nicolae, Khidja, and Borusiade. Although based in Berlin, they frequently play in Bucharest and collaborate with other Romanian artists. 

The New War on Drugs

In recent years, Bucharest’s experimental scene has been significantly impacted by Romania’s stringent anti-drug policies. The country’s approach has predominantly been punitive, focusing on criminal penalties to deter drug use. Despite these measures, data indicate an increase in drug consumption across various substances over the past decade.

Criminologist Vlad-George Zaha, an Oxford University alumnus, has been a vocal critic of these policies. He argues that the current strategy disproportionately targets individual users rather than large-scale traffickers. Zaha highlights that approximately 80% of DIICOT (Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism) cases involve individuals possessing less than 5 grams of substances, diverting resources from dismantling major trafficking networks.

In collaboration with experts like social worker and addiction psychotherapist Alina Dumitriu and harm reduction specialist Dr. Costin-Aurel Militaru, Zaha co-authored the study Anti-drug Policies in Romania: Between Criminal Justice and Public Health. This research underscores the inefficacy of punitive measures and advocates for a public health-oriented approach. The study recommends decriminalising possession of small quantities for personal use and reallocating resources towards integrated psycho-medical-social services.

Towards Post-Everything

The DIY ethos in Bucharest extends beyond music into a broader cross-disciplinary artistic movement. Many experimental musicians collaborate with or are also visual artists, filmmakers, and performance artists. Despite financial precarity and a lack of mainstream recognition, Bucharest’s experimental scene continues to evolve. Crowdfunding, international collaborations, and alternative distribution methods—such as Bandcamp sales and self-organized tours—allow artists to sustain their work. While the challenges are significant, the DIY ethos remains a driving force, ensuring that experimental music in Bucharest exists on its terms, outside commercial expectations.

The community’s reliance on DIY practices is both a strength and a necessity, fostering a culture of collaboration and resourcefulness. However, the financial constraints and lack of institutional backing pose ongoing challenges to sustainability and growth.

Despite these hurdles, the post-pandemic period has seen a resurgence of interest in alternative art spaces and interdisciplinary collaborations. Initiatives centred on new practices and DIY methods aim to create spaces for debate and challenge conventional norms, reflecting a dynamic and evolving creative ethos. One may ask oneself what the implications, risks, and opportunities are of operating in an insular cultural climate, located at the edge of the hegemonic cultural circuit? Comprising various forms of manifestation, the DIY ethos strives to create a discursive space for debate while interrogating conventional notions of agency in a cultural and artistic field that exists and runs under the sign of precarity. 

In summary, while Bucharest’s experimental music scene faces significant post-pandemic challenges, the enduring DIY ethos continues to drive innovation and resilience within and outside the community.

Text: Dragos Rusu
Photos:  Deathbycoconut live in Control Club, credits: Andrei Mușat (header), Bandcamp

This article is brought to you as part of the EM GUIDE project – an initiative dedicated to empowering independent music magazines and strengthen the underground music scene in Europe. Read more about the project at emgui.de.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.