Marija Balubdžić, belgrade-based musician, performs under alias Umbra. Through experimental research of improvisation and composition atop a multi-channel looper she confronts voice, keyboards and electronics. She is focusing on sound interventions and poetic experiment, ranging from noise to the idioms of pop music. In September 2017 Umbra releases the album Unglued for the tape label Baba Vanga from Prague.

Balubdžić has been working individually, and as a part of various collectives since year 2000. Studies of classical music, public rehearsals, international concerts and tours, home production and vocal workshops have sometimes been left to oblivion, or occasionally recorded, both as official and unofficial releases.

As a member of Efemerne Konfesije (Ephemeral Confessions), a drag collective in Belgrade, she is developing the character of the virtuoso pianist Fritz Klein. These are the collectives she is grateful to for her development: Kino Pleme – Live Soundtrack ensemble, improvisational collective ImprovE, band Bitlsti of the collective Matrijaršija, improvisational quartet Beli Talas, duo of composers Halbstar and Umbra, GRUBB collective of Roma teenagers, independent choir and orchestra Horkeškart, radio podcast Lepi Ritam Srca, band Činč, Faculty of Music – University of Arts in Belgrade.

Umbra collides tenebrous voice sounds and poetic temptation with a looper. Umbra unbinds chants saturated in noises, chords and pulses.