Gjurmët

Gjurmët (The Traces) was a new wave band from Pristina, formed in 1980 by the singer and rhythm guitarist Migjen Kelmendi, son of the writer Ramiz Kelmendi. It was one of the first rock bands formed by Kosovo Albanians and the first new wave band in Kosovo, and its blend of rock with the old urban songs of the towns, muzikë qytetare, is credited with laying a foundation for Albanian rock.

Besides Kelmendi the early line-up included Armando Gjini, Tomor Kurshumliu, Gazmend Hasbahta, Petrit Riza and Bekim Dyla, with Gjini on keyboards. The band recorded its first song in 1980, the first new wave song recorded in Kosovo. In 1982 Radio Television of Pristina refused to play "Karrigat" (Chairs), but the next song, "Mikrofoni" (Microphones), was accepted.

Their self-titled debut album was recorded in 1984, but a dispute over its cover delayed it, and it came out in 1985 on cassette only. It mixes new wave and post-punk with reggae rock and folk. A year later, in 1986, Gjurmët broke up when Kelmendi was called up for military service. The members met again in 1988 to record "Heroi i qytetit pa lum" (Hero of the city without a river).

The musicians went on to very different lives. Kelmendi became a journalist, editor and television producer and wrote four books, one of them about the band; Petrit Riza later drummed for Haliband; Armando Gjini kept composing and moved to Croatia; Bekim Dyla became a designer in Geneva and Tomor Kurshumliu settled in London.

In 2002 the compilation LP gathered their 1980s recordings, together with Kelmendi's book Gjurmët LP. The band came back for two big concerts: at the Palace of Congresses in Tirana on 29 December 2015, the day after the rapper MC Kresha released "Era" with them, and at the Palace of Youth and Sports in Pristina on 12 June 2019, where the proceeds went to the Prenk Jakova music school for its 70th anniversary and the city gave the band the key of Pristina.