Atomik Harmonik: Cutting Edge But Still Schlager

Schlager purists scoff at Slovenia's Atomik Harmonik as not being schlager much as American Country music purists scoff at Shania Twain and the "New Country" sound.


 Mateja "Tejči" Vuk and  Špela Grošelj during
one of Atomik Harmonik's earlier incarnations




 While both have, to some extent, fused traditional schlager and country with more current pop/dance sounds, the core schlager and country elements are there -- rural themes, lyrical simplicity and musical instrumentation native to the original genres.

Atomik Harmonik were formed in 2004 and have had something of a revolving door in personnel since then (kind of like the carousel boy bands of the 90s.)

The original Spelas, Grošelj and Kleinlercher as well as Kleinlercher's replacement "Tejči" Vuk have all left for other pursuits and have been replaced by new blondes.

Like the Swedish supergroup ABBA, the only really memorable members are the 2 girls at the center of the group who carry most of the vocal load and  who have always been hot blondes. Very hot blondes!

They dance and prance and grind and are riveting to watch but Atomik Harmonik are schlager nonetheless.

Here are Špela Grošelj and Mateja "Tejči" Vuk in a very rural setting with Zavriskaj na ves glas (Shout out Loud):



Here they are in Brizgaina Brizga (Water Bucket Brigade) which has the same tune as their later hit The Turbo Polka:



And here is their famous 2005 hit Turbo Polka performed by the two Spelas. It is the only song that Americans, otherwise ignorant of European pop music, have mentioned to us in conversation. It lifted the group from regional to pan-European popularity and even made it onto American music TV: