PERIJA NORTH MACEDONIA DARK FOLK, MEDITATIVE Perija is a critical folk band that plays with many music in昀氀uences, from traditional music of the areas they live in, middle-eastern maqam music and some north- African styles, to blues, post-punk, atonal and jazz. Their songs are in di昀昀erent languages of the Balkans, as to share an idea of equality between nations and ethnicities. Previously the themes of their songs were old village songs, their new material covers what they believe to be important social issues of the present, the lyrics are usually poems or pieces from acknowledged authors and newspaper clippings. 51