Hungarian ensemble Söndörgő returns with their new single, “from Hungary,” a forward-looking composition that opens their upcoming album Söndörgő XXX, due out on the 9th of May via GroundUP Music. Marking the start of the group’s fourth decade, the track offers both a reflection on their musical journey and a clear signal of their continued evolution as prominent voices in Southern Slavic string traditions, approached with a distinctly contemporary sensibility.

Founded in the late 1990s by members of the Eredics family—Áron, Benjamin, Salamon, and their cousin Dávid—Söndörgő established itself around the tambura, a family of long-necked lutes central to Serbian and Croatian musical traditions, particularly those preserved by Hungary’s South Slavic minority. They later expanded their instrumentation and compositional scope, incorporating clarinets, flutes, percussion, and double bass (played by Ábel Dénes), and began drawing on a wider range of genres including chamber music, progressive rock, and jazz-informed improvisation.

“from Hungary” is emblematic of this hybrid aesthetic. The track balances the rhythmic drive and melodic ornamentation typical of tambura repertoire with modern arrangement techniques, including layered textures and dynamic shifts that reflect the band’s evolution beyond the folk circuit. While rooted in specific regional forms—such as the kolo and čoček—the composition resists folkloric nostalgia, instead engaging with tradition as a living, malleable source.

Söndörgő XXX will be the group’s second release on GroundUP Music—the label established by Snarky Puppy’s Michael League—which also issued Gyezz in 2024, an album that featured a guest appearance from jazz saxophonist Chris Potter. This ongoing collaboration has provided Söndörgő with a platform to further explore the boundaries of their music, capturing both their refined musicianship and exploratory spirit.

You can pre-order the album HERE