My Freedom
all versions playlist (more versions added soon)

Original song by SKender Makota and Jasmina Makota
Brother and Sister duo composing and performing all original electronic music.

My Freedom - Skender & Jasmina Makota - original track in all versions, Brother and Sister duo

Circus In Town
original track, live improv mix
Version (who da fuk knows) 5 - 2019

is that da Balkanimal visiting your town, circus exclusive... bumper cars, ajvar cookin by the caravan...! Being poked with the long pole by the miserable cunt... to really get the juices flowing when the shit hits the fan, badabada BOOOOOoooomm.... !!!!!

CIRCUS IN TOWN (live Pa Mix) - Skender Makota

Dolphins In Love V4

LIVE PA Originals Chimix 4
Song#3
by Balkanimal (Skender Makota)

Live PA Mix#4 (out of 5) from the Originals Chimix Sessions Series of Live to 2 (straight to tape) versions of my early live act performances.
Don't be surprised at occasional "mistake", even if I wanted I could not "fix it in the mix" lol, since it was all played live and straight to tape sorta speak.. but that was the beauty of it all and I like hearing it all in its natural human soundshape :)
Recorded at Skeyelab Bradley Place studio Chicago
Winter 2016 with ERIC DAHL

Dolphins In Love V4 - LIVE PA Originals Chimix 4 Song#3 Balkanimal Skender Makota

My brother Ellery Cowles (CHicago DJ of all time with 365 smile and positive attitude) was tellin me all about life in Brazil, so II had to get me one of those, and boy, was it worth it - second to best thing I ever had (moog synhts), and thank God for BRAZIL AND ALL THAT!

\Original by Skender Makota

Ski pASS in Brazil - Skender Makota Www.balkanimal.com

The Biggest Pain Shapes Lions Heart
original by Skender Makota made around 2002, this is one of many versions, more to follow~

The Biggest Pain Shapes Lions Heart

Just a jam with a buddy.. gotta say that Selmer sax sounds just as good as it costs! Goes to show that always buy highest quality instruments (like Gibson Les Paul for ex) and it can be enjoyed for years and if you end up selling, you would get just as much as you paid at worst

Bada Beat Bada Boom - Skender Makota

BECAUSE OF YOU - 2024 v1
original by Skender Makota

BECAUSE OF YOU - 2024 v1

INTERMEZZO 
Version 3 out of 4 - 2024 
original by - Skender Makota

This is not a finished mix, but I like the way it sounded against the other versions I'm about to upload soon. 
Another song I originally made way back in 2000's, then remixed a few times, this being one of the latest...

INTERMEZZO - V3 - 2024 - Skender Makota

BECAUSE OF YOU 
original by Skender Makota
Mix 3 = Bradley Studio Chicago V2016

BECAUSE OF YOU - Skender Makota - Mix 3 = Bradley Studio Chicago V2016

SERATONAL - v2018 (Skender Makota)
original track with more Moog!

SERATONAL - v2018 (Skender Makota)

My FREEDOM - Makotas 2024 V1

original song by Skender & Jasmina Makota
the brand new Live Pa House Music Duo consisting of a brother and sister team, with brother Skender taking care of the half tne shizzle, while Jasmina delivers the product with her perfect pitch and precious voice, as well as adding music parts and lyrics,,, and to think we both share the same Mom, she should be proud and she is!
More on our DUO which we currently call simply Makotas, The Brother and Sister by the way of war torn Balkan, tough streets of Chicago, Boston, NYC, Mexico City... 
We plan a tour soon playing all our original material, for now sign up for the newsletter at Balkanimal.com and we will keep you updated on our schedule dates and show locations!

My FREEDOM - Makotas 2024 V1 - Skender & Jasmina Makota

Flat Iron Haze - Skender Makota DaBalkanimal - V3mix2

Chicago 2013 original track
version 3, mix 2 (remix2023)

Recorded and composed in live sessions at the Flat Iron Milwaukee^Damen spot in Bucktown Chicago

Flat Iron Haze - Skender Makota DaBalkanimal - V3mix2

Echoes Of The Past - Skender Makota v1

Wild Dreams Turn Da Reelz (v1)

Flat Iron Haze - Skender Makota DaBalkanimal - DagroovyV2 - 2019
original track by Skender Makota at Flat Iron Sessions Milwaukee^Damen Buckown CHICAGO 2013 - remix 2019!

Flat Iron Haze - Skender Makota DaBalkanimal - DagroovyV2 - 2019

Flat Iron Haze V1 Original 2013 Mix - Skender Makota DaBalkanimal
Unedited and never released, here it is NOW

Flat Iron Haze V1 Original 2013 Mix - Skender Makota DaBalkanimal

END OF THE WORLD - Mix4 - 2021 BRADLEY SESSIONS - Skender Makota
ORIGINAL TRACK IN ONE MORE FLAVOR

END OF THE WORLD - Mix4 - 2021 BRADLEY SESSIONS - Skender Makota

END OF THE WORLD V5 2024 - Skender Makota
ORIGINAL TRACK by Skender Makota
IN ANOTHER, latest flavor 2024mix

END OF THE WORLD V5 2024 - Skender Makota

BECAUSE OF YOU - Mix2022 - Skender Makota

BECAUSE OF YOU 2022 MIX BRADLEY CHICAGO

MODAL CITIZEN - Skender Makota DaBalkanimal - V5 2018 - Chicago Bradley Sess -
original by skender makota
v5 2018

MODAL CITIZEN - Skender Makota DaBalkanimal - V5 2018 - Chicago Bradley Sess -

MODAL CITIZEN - Skender Makota DaBalkanimal V4 2016 - Skeyelab Chicago

ORIGINAL by skender makota
mix4 2016

MODAL CITIZEN - Skender Makota DaBalkanimal V4 2016 - Skeyelab Chicago

MODAL CITIZEN - Skender Makota DaBalkanimal - V3 Angry Moogz Mix 2015 Elston Mix Chicago
original song by Skender Makota daBalkanimal

MODAL CITIZEN - Skender Makota DaBalkanimal - V3 Angry Moogz Mix 2015 Elston Mix Chicago

MY FREEDOM (and Yours Too!)- PRICELESS MIX -  Skender + Jasmina MAKOTA - V4 2021mix

FEATURING MY TALENTED SISTER, BROUGHT UP IN THE TOUGHEST CHI HAD TO OFFER,ALONGSIDE THE BEST IT REwarded us with - unconditional love for HOUSE MUSIC, cause this is where hous music was born and techno and house live side by side in harmony, subdiviing genres of electnic music is a fools errand.. but for he sake of simplicity, I think thre is but only ONE henre...only ONE tab for your search querries,,, and it is simply HOUSE. All music is HOUSE MUSIC if you love the music, tuly love and aceopt others around you for who they are, not what they look like or come from...

... and share moments in time on the dance floors around the globe, lets envoy it while we can, and dance away into the afterlife when called upon a new mission in, .. who knows, maybe the weirdos from Pluto decided they want to check out some of our BEETZ and come where the real underground parties and underground house music was born, lives and stays, right here among its biggest offspring who never did this for money, fame or personal gains... 
CHICAGO HOUSEHEADS PARTY CAUSE ITS IN OUR SYSTEMS! AND PART OF WHO WE REALLY ARE... AS WELL AS GIVES US GUIDANCE to avoid violence, oppose wars and really just LIVE AND LET LIVE in return...

MY FREEDOM (and Yours Too!)- PRICELESS MIX -  Skender & Jasmina MAKOTA - V4 2021mix

ARBA ISLA Rebirth - ADRIATIC SUNRISE MIX 
Skender Makota DaBalkanimal
original song by Skender Makota
V5 2024

ARBA ISLA - ADRIATIC SUNRISE Rebirth MIX Skender Makota DaBalkanimal

Live to 2 mix v7, recorded directly to tape, improv on original songs 
ALL COMPOSED AND PLAYED BY SKENDER MAKOTA
daBalkanimal

Skender Makota Originals Chimix 7

Makotas Go Sub Orbital - Halcion Nod to the legends
performed by Skender and Jasmina Makota
original v1

Makotas Go Sub Orbital - Halcion Nod to the legends

SAMBA OF MY SOUL V2 2024 - DaMonleynutz Project Chicago Revival Www.balkanimal.com

daMonkeynutz Project revival 2024
- Munk Julious
- Skender Makota
- Miles Holt
- Dj Kwak

The underground Chicago House Team of reclusive beat makers and natural born househeads from the Home of House Music - the CHITOWN

SAMBA OF MY SOUL V2 2024 - DaMonkeynutz Project Chicago Revival Www.balkanimal.com

My Freedom (to express myself Mix 2020 - Makotas - Skender & Jasmina Makota
version 3 original song
Live to two

Brother & Sister Live House Music Act CHicago IL

My Freedom (to express myself Mix 2020 - Makotas - Skender & Jasmina Makota Original

Why com I dont have a tattoo 
Not Sure... 
They seem to be experimenting some technological differemceez.

Skender Makota daBalkanimal original track

Why com I dont have a tattoo v1 - Skender Makota daBalkanimal

CIRCUS IN TOWN V2 - Chimix 2 LIVE ACT Improv straiht to tape - Skender Makota daBalkanimal

original track in version 2 improv during the single take straight to 2*mix using live synths bass and ableton live masssive sessions I spent days setting up and still loved it!

CIRCUS IN TOWN V2 - Chimix 2 LIVE ACT Improv straight to tape - Skender Makota daBalkanimal

SHE'S HERE - Skender Makota - Chill Sessions Bradley Chicago 2023 - V3

Original song composed by Skender Makota
Version 3, recorded at Skeyelab Bradley Studio 
helped by Snowy CHicago Winter 2023.

SHE'S HERE - Skender Makota - Chill Sessions Bradley Chicago 2023 - V3

Sunday Morning - original by Skender Makota daBalkanimal 
feat. 
DaMonkeynutz Project Revival Mix
Monkeynutz Project - Live PA Chicago based quartet of true and real househeads:
- Corey McCue aka Munk Julious
- Skender Makota aka daBalkanimal
- Miles Holt
- DJ Kwak

Sunday Morning - Skender Makota - DaMonkeynutz Project

Thanks for checking out my music! 

These are all original tracks composed and produced/engineered/played by Skender Makota.

My goal is perform my own music LIVE and this is, among other reasons, why I post all of my songs here, without worrying too much if its bumping, downtempoish or even non-electronic exclusively. 
This is also why I happened to end up with many versions of a single song, hence all the playlists with various mixes/versions I recorded over the years.

I do not discriminate when it comes to music, so my style varies wildly, from melodic ambient to driving techno, to Chicago house *which I consider my default state*, over to trip hop, drum n bass and especially oldskool jungle etc. 
I personally have been playing piano since 5years old, and love playing jazz piano, bass and guitar. These instruments, in addition to quite a few synthesizers, I also use in live settings, where I recreate these songs or more specifically, I remix them from the scratch and live. 

This way, my every live performance is producing a different mix of a given song, which is awesome, fun to do and made possible using many factors/tools, namely Ableton Live, analog console with multiple outputs etc..
While I personally (as a sound engineer and total gear slut) love geeking out on musical gear, when it comes to playing live, technical side is irrelevant.  
Getting the groove right, having fun doing it and making people dance is a primary objective! 

This is why I rarely, if ever, cared to prepare my show/music ahead of the show, then often freak out cause I did not, but then rock the show by winging it and everyone's happy..
Though newer tech and control is a Godsend to those performing el music live, conveying the emotional message, the feel and the idea behind the song or a complete show/set to the audience - all the while maintaining the melodic theme, is how I approach each show.  
I also adjust the sound depending on the mood and setting, audience response etc.

*** ADVICE to those brave souls who dare download my hi res 44k16bit cd quality traxx, and play them in their own DJ sets - as you can see I like lower BPM's by default, but nobody's stopping you to pitch the bitch up, I always thought that default state of a song should be slower so as to allow it to BREATHE, then go crazy if you want depending on how fucked up your audience (or you) is..
CAAAN YOU dig it***

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Additional Info and projects:

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I am also part of ASH & DASH - house music live act duo with Chicago legendary DJ/producer Mel Hammond. 

--

Another live act project, the legendary Chicago Underground House Live Act from the 2000's - DA MONKEYNUTZ PROJECT - currently being revived and prepared for live performance.
Monkeynutz Project - Live PA Chicago based quartet of true and real househeads:
- Corey McCue aka Munk Julious
- Skender Makota aka daBalkanimal
- Miles Holt
- DJ Kwak

--

Finally, I am starting a live act duo with my talented sister, Jasmina Makota (jasminamusic.com), keep an eye out for upcoming releases of our new songs with her on the vocals!
More on all that soon, sign up for updates on skendermakota.com or balkanimal.com!

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Some of the gear I use when composing, producing or performing my music...

Keys/piano; MOOG, Roland, KORG
Bass guitar:- Sandberg Jazz bass; 
Synth: - Moog bass, synth lines, 
Guitar: Gibson Les Paul
+ the pretty awesome poor man Gibson, but just as good Epiphone Les Paul, 
Moog Subarmonicon, 
Moog DFAM, 
Moog Mother32, 
Moog MINITAUR (I used this baby a LOT, especially in the earlier unreleased work you can hear on this page, or my website + download for free). 
Moog Sub37
Moog Little Phatty SIg Edition
Pioneer DJM900NXS2
Pioneer CDJ900NXS
+ many other pieces of gear these are just to name a few.
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If you like the artwork (as I do), visit www.doroteart.com, this is my special girl who is beyond talented and deserves some praise! And reminder that YOU should support your local artists everywhere, because what would this world BE without art?.. 
Wasteland of depressed zombies I assume...
------------------

Visit www.balkanimal.com for more songs and free downloads - focus on upbeat original house, Chicago house, techno etc, DJ mixes, remixes... 
I host some cool remixes there cause Soundcloud won't accept them here, check it out under Remixes page

Visit www.skendermakota.com for more music in all sub-genres, work in progress, melodic ideas in ambient, drum n bass, downtempo, electro, pop, and of course - jazz which I love, as well as live band jamming recordings... 
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For the time being, All downloadable in hi-res format 44k/16-bit 
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Balkanimal - focus on live pa performances where I try to recreate different mixes of my own original house, deep house, tech house, techno, minimal, ambient, jungle, drum'n'space... well, you get the  idea :)
IF IT MOVES, THEN IT GROOVES!

Sourced from yesterday, merged with tomorrow, and I got to where I am today. 
I try to not restrict myself in the world of electronic music composition and creation by doing my staying within the confines of the sub-genre expectations, lingering in the (boring) safe zone, the beaten path which in my view is a waste of time and zzzzzz, 
I try to push the envelope and reinvent. 
I also like meeting, collaborating and otherwise hanging out with people who share this view, not just music and art, but science, education, life and social acceptance, where we truly are equal cause we truly feel that way. 

Trend followers are not worth my time, neither am I worth theirs.. 
but if you want to reinvent, and have fun in life doing it by exploring options in electronic music creation... then by all means - we're already friends!

contact: musicnlight@gmail.com
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Future historians do not follow trends...
They set the trend followers on the right path to the future!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


PS. While I never relied on music as my source of income, nor would I allow myself to shape my sound in order to sell the final product, get a record deal or whatever. I believe doing that would one day end up with me hating music and blaming the job for it, and I def don't want that to happen, cause I have nothing else left in life to look forward to and truly enjoy doing, but music.
I can still take a tip or donation, which I would use strictly for adding more awesome sounds to my studio and deliver back the product... but no worries, I am glad you gave me your TIME to listen to my music, which is priceless, and I appreciate that. 
Drop me a note letting me know if you liked it, I really want to know what people think, and I prefer people who are NOT musicians, DJ's producers etc, just regular consumers, cause their opinion is unbiased, and I want to know what it is, regardless if its bad or good, I take this feedback and keep learning as I go in life. 
Thanks again, and keep he beat alive wherever you are!
-----------

skender

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