about us

Next to Silence, a jazz fusion group born out of Macedonia’s vibrant music scene, began in 2009 as an homage to the evocative artists of the German label ECM. Over the years, they have evolved from interpreters to innovators, crafting original material that resonates with audiences worldwide. With their first album released in 2020 under the esteemed SJF label (Skopje Jazz Festival‘s subsidiary) and their 2024 follow-up, Ruh, they’ve established themselves as pioneers of introspective, boundary-pushing jazz.

Featuring members from some of Macedonia’s most renowned bands and orchestras, the quintet—Kiril Kuzmanov (saxophone), Adi Imeri (guitar, vocals), Filip Dimishkovski (piano, keyboards), Dragan Stojkovski (electric bass), and Goce Naumov (drums)—pursues music as a journey of sound exploration. Describing their philosophy as having “no direction, but a course,” they weave layers of meaning through compositions inspired by natural phenomena, ancient crafts, and mystical practices.

Their music, alive with an interwoven fabric of numinosity and sarcasm, captures scenes and emotions, addressing themes both intangible yet deeply rooted in their worldview. With performances across major festivals like the Skopje, Prilep, and Kumanovo Jazz Festivals, and countless club gigs, Next to Silence crafts each performance as a dynamic, evolving narrative—soundscapes that speak without words.

Their latest work, Ruh, exemplifies this vision, guiding audiences into an immersive experience of sound and sense. Through this latest album, Next to Silence continues to transform the abstract into the palpable, inviting listeners to feel, reflect, and venture beyond the surface into a musical journey like no other.