Thanks for checking out my music!

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

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...


Music saved my life and I know that... and am blessed to truly love music as it defines me and obsesses me, the gift that keeps on giving...
But you can;t have your cake etc, so being broke and invested into music gear which I geek over, I chose the life of simplicity in place of security or financial gain (it's a cheap trill, wears off soon..) having music guide my way forward, for better or for worse, though I am always having a blast making, playing, performing, practicing jazz licks or scientifically decimating frequencies into pitches to control... electronic music made that dimension which I default to!

THUS, since I expect no cash, I offer al my songs for FREE download in CD quality format, listen to ALL music in hq formats and give the creator full credit by listening music in class and style! Least we deserve.

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 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.

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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

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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...
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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!
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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!
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