Drawing heavily from 1980’s era rock and electronic, the sounds and stylings of Victoria (BC) based four piece Croatia are unapologetically pop. But behind the sugar coated synth lines, cocaine chic, and polished production is something different entirely. With deeply personal songwriting and storytelling standing confidently against a backdrop of dance-crazed euphoria, Croatia trades in the tired and outdated pop aesthetics for pure synth seduction. Carefully crafted vocal hooks and neo-80’s synth melodies become weaved into a feverish live performance, closer to the punk and alt rock acts they grew up and shared stages with as young musicians than their Top 40 contemporaries. Croatia, if anything, is about pop with purpose. And they are creating their own unlikely brand.
Released independently in the summer of 2016, Croatia’s debut album I Wish I Could Be Holy gained critical local acclaim: named #1 album of the year in Victoria/ Vancouver by concert photography collective Rocktographers, and included on Holy Smokes Music’s best local music list of 2016. Currently writing and recording material for their sophomore full length release, the band will be performing at several main-stay summer festivals including appearances at Tall Tree Music Festival, Ponderosa Arts & Music Festival, and inaugural Gabriola Island Music Festival. Croatia is Steve Mitchell, Matt Dell, Ben Erikson, and Justin Campbell.
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