Ivan Shopov (musician)
Encyclopedia
Ivan Shopov better known by his stage name
s Cooh (COOH, CooH) and Balkansky (Бalkansky), is a Bulgaria
n music producer, DJ, and graphic artist. He produces drum and bass
and dubstep
music.
Shopov was born in Troyan
, a town in central northern Bulgaria. At 16, he joined a metalcore
band as a bassist
. He got involved in electronic music
at age 18. In 2002, Shopov began a promotion of drum and bass throughout Bulgaria together with Valeri Sholevski (Ogonek). Shopov is a graduate of the National Academy of Arts
in Sofia
.
As Cooh, Shopov has released tracks for several prominent international drum and bass labels and has performed in events all across Europe
and America
including many Therapy Sessions
events as a headliner. Under the stage name Balkansky, Shopov released the 2008 album Kuker, a collaboration with kaval
player Theodosii Spassov
. The album combines Bulgarian and Balkan folk music with dubstep and other electronic music genres.
In 2009, Cooh featured as a performer on the main stage of the Spirit of Burgas
festival in Burgas
together with Ogonek.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
s Cooh (COOH, CooH) and Balkansky (Бalkansky), is a Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n music producer, DJ, and graphic artist. He produces drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
and dubstep
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
music.
Shopov was born in Troyan
Troyan
Troyan is a town in Lovech Province in central Bulgaria with population of 21,997 inhabitants, as of December 2009,. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Troyan Municipality. The town is about 160 km away from the country capital Sofia. The nearest civilian airport is Gorna...
, a town in central northern Bulgaria. At 16, he joined a metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
band as a bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
. He got involved in electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
at age 18. In 2002, Shopov began a promotion of drum and bass throughout Bulgaria together with Valeri Sholevski (Ogonek). Shopov is a graduate of the National Academy of Arts
National Academy of Arts
The National Academy of Arts is an institution of higher education in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. It is the oldest and most renowned academy of arts in the country....
in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
.
As Cooh, Shopov has released tracks for several prominent international drum and bass labels and has performed in events all across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and America
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
including many Therapy Sessions
Therapy Sessions
Therapy Sessions is a franchise of drum and bass events created by Anger Management booking agency and UK based label Freak Recordings.The first Therapy Sessions event happened at the Herbal club in London in 2003, and from then it has expanded worldwide with shows in the United States, Romania,...
events as a headliner. Under the stage name Balkansky, Shopov released the 2008 album Kuker, a collaboration with kaval
Kaval
The kaval is a chromatic end-blown flute traditionally played throughout Azerbaijan, Turkey, Hungary, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, southern Serbia , northern Greece , Romania , and Armenia...
player Theodosii Spassov
Theodosii Spassov
Theodosii Spassov is a Bulgarian jazz musician who plays kaval.*birth date:4 March 1961*musical training:The Music School in Kotel andThe Academy of Music and Dance in Plovdiv.*Awards:The Special Prize of Detroit Flute Festival, 1994...
. The album combines Bulgarian and Balkan folk music with dubstep and other electronic music genres.
In 2009, Cooh featured as a performer on the main stage of the Spirit of Burgas
Spirit of Burgas
Spirit of Burgas is a summer music festival in the city of Burgas, on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. The first edition of the festival took place on 15–17 August 2008 and since then it has significantly grown in popularity, becoming one of the most prominent summer music festivals in Europe.The...
festival in Burgas
Burgas
-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...
together with Ogonek.