The album name is 557799, after the composition number 7, which is about the rhythm pattern throughout it.

5/8 5/8, 7/8 7/8, 9/8 9/8 it goes.

Those 3 odd rhythms are the basics of the Balkans’ traditional music, but for us, there’s more to that than just the number- it’s the epitome of life and history which has always been turbulent in this part of the world. That’s our Heartbeat. Odd is an odd way full of life and emotion.

Dodola (also spelled Doda, Dudulya and Didilya, pronounced: doh-doh-la, doo-doo-lya, or dee-dee-lya) is a pagan tradition found in the Balkans. A girl, wearing a skirt made of knitted,fresh green vines and small branches, is singing and dancing through the village, stopping at every house, where the hosts sprinkle her with water. She is accompanied by villagers who are dancing and shouting to the music.

In some kind of Rite, Dodolahas summoned the Rain.

Linen is dedicated to the most famous Serbian composer StevanMokranjac- a fragment of his 9th Garland’s “Biljana platnobeleše” (Biljana was washing the linen) is used in the theme. Also, the foundation of harmony here lies upon Mokranjac’s opus.

Half of this album was created from old ideas, mixed with new solutions-or, inspired by many musical styles, formed into the specific EYOT sound.

But this time I was particularly inspired by John Williams, Bruckner, Patrick Doyle, and Mokranjac, and also “The Soul Cages” album by Sting.

-Dejan Ilijic