Hala Strana

Biography

Hala Strana is the solo project of American musician Steven R. Smith, created in 2002 to explore Eastern European traditional music. Using hurdy-gurdy, bouzouki, harmonium, fiddles and field recordings, Smith reworks melodies from Hungary, Romania, Croatia and beyond into layered psychedelic folk. Albums include 'Fielding' (2003), 'These Villages' (2004) and 'Heave the Gambrel Roof' (2007). No new Hala Strana albums have appeared since 2007, though Smith continues to record prolifically under his own name.