Music in Dalmatia

During the Great Balkan War, which was based mostly along ethnic lines, a new form of music emerged, known as Turbofolk. This is a catchall term that can be applied to the modernised folk music of any of the ethnic groups in the area. Basically, Turbofolk is defined as folk music with influences from modern popular music, or folk music made with modern instruments (also called Synthfolk).

Generally, the various Turbofolk styles are popular only amongst its own ethnic group. For example, Dalmatian Turbofolk is only popular amongst ethnic Dalmatians, the Szevdahuri of the Dalmatian Muslims only amongst Muslims (Bosznjakuri -Bosniaks-, called so because they live mostly along the Bosna river). However, there have been some artists who have overcome the ethnic barrier. Safet Haxhispahesku and Asim Bajresku, two Bosniak singers of szevdahuri, and the ethnic-Dalmatian Synthfolk group Muarce Kosmonautele ("Dead Cosmonauts", from a novel by a popular Dalmatian sci-fi author) are constants on the Dalmatian top-twenty charts. Muarce Kosmonautele have also played several successful concerts outside Dalmatia, in Greece, Albania, Mali, Kongo, Togo, Gold Coast, Montrei and elsewhere.