Fugu Dugu – “Bucky Wanko and The Legend of Baba Yaga”

Fugu Dugu is a punk band from Chicago that brings together Eastern European folklore, klezmer, Americana, and punk rock. Their album Bucky Wanko and The Legend of Baba Yaga arrives on October 1. The group features songwriter Bucky Wanko on guitar and Olya Prohorova performing on violin.

The songs feature lyrics in Romanian, Ukrainian, Russian, and English. The music pits loud violin against electric guitar, creating a fast mix of old-world melodies and American roots. Above all, the band makes music that gets people moving.

My two absolute favorites are “You Should Be Dancing” and “Bucky Wanko”. “You Should Be Dancing” came out as a single on September 1, and hearing it fit into the wider record is great. The fast fiddle playing next to heavy electric guitars creates a wild mood. “Bucky Wanko” brings a fun storytelling edge to the project, mixing a fictional cowboy persona with high energy.

You hear a collision of different musical styles on every track. The band takes the legendary Slavic witch Baba Yaga and places her in a modern setting, exploring identity, migration, rebellion, and everyday absurdity. Every song pushes a lively tempo that demands physical movement.

If you want to hear more of this unique collision of punk and folk, make sure to follow Fugu Dugu on social media to stay updated on new releases in this year.

Fugu Dugu

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