Biography
Zrní (meaning "grain" or "corn" in Czech) is a Czech folk, indie rock and art rock band from Kladno which was formed in 2001.
Members:
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** Vocals, recorder & acoustic guitar: Jan Unger
** Electric and acoustic guitar & vocals: Jan Juklík
** Violin: Jan Fišer
** Bass & Vocals: Jan Caithaml
** Drums, accordion, beatbox & sampler: Ondřej Slavík
Biography:
Zrní is a Czech alternative band from Kladno, formed on 23 June 2001 which is the day of their first (unofficial) concert at the restaurant "U České Lípy".
The group consists of Jan Unger (vocals, flute), Jan Juklík (acoustic and electric guitar, ukulele, vocals), Jan Fišer (violin, vocals), Jan Caithaml (bass, vocals) and Ondřej Slavík (drums, accordion, electronics, beatbox and samples). Throughout its existence, the band has maintained the same five-member lineup, a rarity on the Czech music scene.
They're currently signed to APPLAUSE BOOKING and have (among others) released more than six albums, a remix album, an acoustic album and a collaboration album with VerTeDance.
They call their music "něžný artbrut" ("tender art brut") and it's a mix of folk, pop and electro.
The members met while attending high school in Kladno. Although they studied in different classes, they became friends through music and began performing together as teenagers. Before founding Zrní, Unger and Fišer often busked in Prague, playing classical music on flute and violin in the streets around Celetná. As more friends joined, the group began writing original material, rehearsing regularly in Kladno and performing at small local venues. The band's first unofficial concert took place on 23 June 2001 at the restaurant U České Lípy, a date they have since regarded as the beginning of Zrní.
During its early years, the band experimented with different musical directions while searching for a distinctive sound. The members have described this period as one of constant rehearsing, songwriting and debate over the band's artistic identity. They eventually decided to abandon English lyrics in favour of Czech, believing that writing in their native language allowed for greater precision, honesty and emotional nuance. The decision became one of the defining characteristics of the band's work.
Zrní have often described their music as něžný artbrut ("tender art brut"), a term they coined to capture a style that resists conventional genre labels. Their music combines indie rock, folk, art pop, alternative rock and electronic music, often blending acoustic instruments with samples, loops and unconventional percussion. Alongside guitars, bass and drums, the band's arrangements frequently feature violin, flute, accordion and found objects, reflecting an interest in both traditional instrumentation and contemporary sound design.
The group has cited a broad range of influences. In interviews, the members have spoken about drawing inspiration from Czech folk music and the landscape around Kladno, as well as from urban environments, industrial sounds and everyday life. They have also acknowledged artists such as Radiohead, Efterklang and Arcade Fire among their international influences, alongside Czech musicians including DVA and Jiří Koubek. Rather than following a single genre, Zrní have consistently sought to combine organic and electronic elements into an evolving musical language.
After several independently released recordings during the 2000s, Zrní gradually established themselves as one of the Czech Republic's leading independent bands through extensive touring. Their breakthrough came with the album Hrdina počítačový hry jde do světa, released in 2011. The record introduced a wider audience to the band's poetic songwriting, layered arrangements and experimental approach while remaining accessible enough to attract significant critical attention.
The band's profile grew further with Soundtrack ke konci světa (2012), an album widely regarded as one of the defining Czech alternative releases of the decade. It received the Anděl Award for Album of the Year in the Alternative and Electronic category and cemented Zrní's reputation among both critics and audiences. Reviewers praised the album for its ambitious production, imaginative lyrics and successful integration of electronic textures into the band's established sound.
In 2014, Zrní released Následuj kojota, continuing their exploration of atmospheric songwriting while incorporating a broader range of electronic influences. Around the same period, the band collaborated with the contemporary dance company VerTeDance on the stage production Korekce. The project resulted in a soundtrack album that demonstrated the group's interest in interdisciplinary work and composition beyond the format of traditional rock albums.
The album Jiskřící followed in 2017, expanding the band's sonic palette while preserving its characteristic combination of intimacy and experimentation. Like its predecessors, it received positive reviews from Czech music critics, who highlighted the band's willingness to develop its sound without abandoning the qualities that had defined its earlier recordings.
Throughout the following years, Zrní continued releasing new music alongside acoustic reinterpretations, remix projects and singles. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group adapted by livestreaming performances and exploring new recording methods while continuing work on future material.
In 2020, Zrní released Nebeský klid, their first full-length studio album in six years. Produced after an extended creative period, the record reflected both continuity and renewal within the band's catalogue, combining electronic experimentation with melodic songwriting and introspective Czech-language lyrics. The album was positively received by critics, who noted its mature songwriting and detailed production.
Their 2023 album Široko daleko tried to capture a more "back to the roots"/folk driven sound.
In 2026 they celebrated their 25th anniversary with extensive tours and released their 7th full album "LOVE YOU LOVE YOU" on September 22nd.
"LOVE YOU LOVE YOU" touches on relationships, war, death, and other weighty themes. Yet, it is loosely woven together by the idea of acceptance, reconciliation, and love as a source of healing power.
The band Zrní’s eighth studio album features ten new songs that see the group returning to electronic elements after the largely acoustic "Široko daleko". This time, they took the recording process into their own hands, collaborating with producer Lukáš Palán to create a record filled with freedom, courage, and the joy of music. It was mixed by Tomáš Havlen.
This is the first album after five records which was not produced by Ondřej Ježek.
Musical style:
Outside the recording studio, Zrní have built a reputation as one of the Czech Republic's strongest live acts. Their concerts are known for their energy, spontaneity and interaction between the five musicians, with room for improvisation despite carefully constructed arrangements. Over more than two decades, the band has performed hundreds of concerts across the Czech Republic and abroad, appearing at festivals including Colours of Ostrava, Rock for People, United Islands, Beseda u Bigbítu and other major cultural events.
Lyrically, Zrní frequently write about ordinary life, cities, nature, memory and human relationships, combining concrete observations with surreal or poetic imagery. Rather than telling straightforward narratives, their songs often rely on fragments, metaphors and associative language, inviting listeners to interpret the lyrics in different ways. This literary approach, together with the band's evolving instrumentation, has become one of the defining features of their work.
Having remained together in its original lineup since 2001, Zrní occupies a distinctive place in contemporary Czech music. Their catalogue spans studio albums, acoustic recordings, remixes, film and theatre collaborations, while their commitment to experimentation, Czech-language songwriting and collective creativity has earned them lasting recognition as one of the country's most original alternative bands.
Discography:
Albums
2004.00.00 - 1st demo
2009.00.00 - Voní
2011.03.28 - Hrdina Počítačový hry jde do světa
2012.00.00 - Kolik váží vaše touha? (with VerTeDance)
2012.11.12 - Soundtrack ke konci světa (CD/LP+repress)
2013.09.25 - Zrnitost - remixy SKKS (Remix album; digital)
2014.09.12 - Následuj kojota (CD/LP; regular and deluxe version)
2015.12.15 - Čtyři Honzové a jeden Ondřej v severní části Střeleckého ostrova (Zrní živě akusticky) (Acoustic album)
2017.03.31 - Jiskřící (CD/LP; crowdfunded)
2018.10.26 - Spící (EP)
2019.06.01 - Zrní a Filharmonie HK živě ve foru karlín (Live album)
2020.03.06 - Nebeský Klid (CD/LP)
2023.02.17 - Široko daleko (CD/LP)
2026.09.22 - LOVE YOU LOVE YOU (CD/LP)
Digital singles (not included in albums)
2011.00.00 - Skoč
2012.00.00 - Jenom lépe
2012.09.10 - Mésjo (feat. Marketa Irglova)
2012.12.11 - Hory
2013.00.00 - Ježíšek
2015.08.10 - Nekonečný valčík (BULISOVI Hommage à Jiří Bulis - Tribute)
2016.09.07 - Kdo to budí medvěda (Single version)
2021.02.09 - Sladkej výlet
2021.03.08 - Inaugurace
2021.04.09 - Milimetr
2024.08.16 - Hoří pole lán
2025.06.13 - Patříš mrakům
2025.09.15 - Signál
2025.12.12 - Polárka
2026.06.?? - Love you Love you (Demo)
(Singles included in albums: Loďky / Stůj / Ukolébavka (pro Igora a Ikona) / Straky)
http://www.zrni.cz
https://www.facebook.com/kapelazrni
http://www.youtube.com/user/ZRNI00
http://bandzone.cz/zrni
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.