Former Yugoslavia part 3 : Pre and After War Music : Laibach & Ashes You Leave. & Devil Doll's cooperation with Slovenian artists (Italy) After the death of Tito former Yugoslavia fell in a state of political chaos, that would finally led to a war with the face of an ethnical war. The group Laibach expressed at first the heritage that totalitarism former Yugoslavia experienced since the second World War brought us. Were western Europe's ideology of the free mind had a certain possibility of slavery to economy, eastern European countries had merely experienced the problems of an ideological slavery. Laibach used all the elements derived from the totalitarian system as merely a pure art form, and in this way might work as a cure. Purely as an art form non of these elements harm. The ideology shocks more become demystified into an abstract expression only. Walt.Ulbr.Sch. Laibach : Rekapitulacija 1980-84 Tr.13, "Brat Moj" 6 min Tr.18, "Ti,Ki,Izzivas" fragment 6 min Tr.20, "Perspective" 5 min Tr.21, "Mars" 1 min The first period of Laibach did sound very industrial and experimental. Beside ideas from totalitarism it is also inspired by or about the industrial working class brainwashed unconsciousness, transformed in a direct confrontation with it as pure music, as propaganda from and by the consciousness of the masses. I especially like the half military/machinery rhythms / dark distorted low voices and Wagner like classical music combinations which appeared here already in a few tracks. This was going to happen even more in later work. "Perspective" explains the perception of the group in English. While the term 'Laibach' refers to the name the Nazi's called Ljubljana it gives the Yugoslavian people a feeling of unease but also a possibility to transform recognition. The term 'Laibach' might unconsciously remind at "Bach" to, as a composer, when looking at the artwork of some of the more heavily composed records, in a more heavy post war experienced Wagnerian way : Mute Laibach : Nova Akropola (1985)***** Tr.2, "Nova Akropla" 7 min Tr.3, "Krava Gruda-Plodna Zemlja" 5 min Tr.1, "Vier Personen" (fragment) 3 min Tr.4, "Vojna Poema" 4 min Tr.7, "The State" 5 min A wonderful, powerful release with military rhythms, industrial, and worked out as contemporary classical concept art. With perfectly and powerful uplifting integrated samples of Ligeti,and others.. "Nova Akropla" was for me such Ligeti drenched powerful track, that shocked me by its power the moment I heard it. I had a dream the night after I heard it the cry "Eia Allala" in the music meant something like the earth is created by the devil. A shocking experience. Also "Krava.." is very inventively composed. I never heard anything comparable before, as dark (industrial) music with a (classical) contemporary character (except for the experimental sound from the wonderful Einstürzende Neubauten's LP version of "Halber Mensch". PS. from that period I also very much liked Virgin Prunes first album). The classical music baritone song "Vojna Poema" (a totalitarian war promoting song ?) with contemporary classical disturbing arrangements is very impressive too. A must have heard CD. "Vade Retro" contains Wagner like samples, with military like rhythms and brass, and industrial flair. The CD is confronting, showing of the unconscious brain created by totalitarism tyranny. I wish I also had the first album (1985). One or two tracks from it which were not included would still have fit perfectly. Various recordings from around this period (2 more live recordings exist) I heard about should have a similar power of expression. Review of this album : http://www.gla.ac.uk/~dc4w/laibach/reviews.html#nova02 Mute Laibach : Opus Dei (rec.1986-87)** One of the various dark industrial versions of commercial music / disco / Pop as another underground exploitation by Laibach. Many more were to be followed, like "Let it be" by The Beatles in a Laibach version for instance, nice for a few tracks only). Hearing it after all those years I cannot say I am still impressed by it. Because like most records from the eighties it's still darker than musically expressing. The industrial/classical music mixes however are done ok. The bonus tracks were from the more impressive play. Sub Rosa Laibach : Krst Pod Triglavom-Baptism (1986)**** Tr.1, "Der Kardinal" 10 min Tr.6, "Krst / Die Taufe" 5 min Tr.9, "Bogomila" (fragment) 3min Huge theatre and operatic concept, with lots of samples of contemporary classical music. Although the music evolves melodically somewhat slowly, with repetitive patterns mostly slowly changing, it is impressive. Ritual like, with elements possibly inspired from communist/nationalist regime. The small operatic part from the play (free translated out of German) : "Bogomila : I met him when he was going from one bar to another. He came towards me with a loud harsh laughter, and with an unmoving face like a mask he spoke : Crtomir : The call of need must be powerful. It must show itself, it must be heard. The power that leads forward the human spirit on a free way is a spirit without resistance. Kardinal : A black hand hangs over him. It's the black hand of the spirit of religion and ideologies. What should be necessary to do, without knowing, he is not taking care of. Bogomila : Can we still stop him ? Kardinal : He's now a prisoner of the Form. He's imprisoned in the spirit of Art." Mute Rec. Laibach : Macbeth (1988) side A : ***side B :***** Side B 16 min Composed music for a play performed in Hamburg, Germany. Musically best to be heard side B->side A. Classical music inspired concept with German war memories into the MacBeth story. I was very impressed the first time I heard this. And after all these years I can still appreciate it much. Much more worked out musically as most works from before. With emotionally powerful growls and voices, sound fragments, brass,.. all creating a powerful sound movie. I remember now another example of Wagnerian classical music inspiration, namely "Ludwich II von Bayern" by Klaus Schulze (to be found on "X"), and an album by F.M.Einheit (from Einstürzende Neubauten) : Stein, which was also heavily drenched with Wagnerian like sampled composition. I did not hear any Laibach releases any more after 1993/1994. I heard from someone who went to a show the experience was total. People were "blocked" in a floor and everything was happening in the middle of the public. You could order a passport for an Utopian fictive state invented by the Neue Slovenische Kunst. It's interesting how they play with such political ideas, that they can be "invented" by not politicians only. I also have to mention the existence of the N.S.K.(Neue Slovenische Kunst) which have also an utopian state with passports and everything. Laibach said that states were mostly invented by politicians, so they decided to invent their own state without borders and any land, with little rules, but functioning. They have more than 1500 so called citizens so far. It's interesting how they play with just any political idea, remind us that they can be "invented" by not politicians only, but even without a slavery behind it. I asked a webmaster from one of the Laibach WebPages about the items I missed. A.Monroe told me about the "Sympathy for the Devil" (1990), like "Let it Be", contains some versions that are interesting, like the German version "Dem Zeufel Zugeeignet". "Das Kapital" (1992) is a complex album which Monroe considers amongst the best. CD and vinyl versions have different sequences / mixes. Russia and with it all eastern European countries saw that communism as an idealistic system that gave people a certain freedom in work, had failed. People that did not succeeded any more to build on something failed to bring in money, so that such society without any money could not sustain much longer economically and practically. So they too abruptly adapted capitalism as a free market system that was on its turn too quickly merely taken over by criminal ideas and people. Also Laibach changed their concepts and let the economy take over their music, with more commercial and in fact less inventive or less free minded and experimental ideas in music. The technical rhythms of 'Kraftwerk', who were futurists once that adored technology became the symbol of another exploitation. Therefore the two new albums, "Nato" and "Jesus Christ Superstar", were les adventurous. "Nato" however has some interesting ideas. Some quotes : "Nat was invented to keep the US in, keep the Germans down, and the Russians out. It's a paradoxal organisation still based on the principles of 1949." "Even though NATO is the Noth Atlantic Treaty Organisation designed to prevent aggression or repel in the North Atlantic area (and Sarjevo is in that area). Since Nato was founded there have been no big wars, but many small wars, which are the direct result of the absence of a major war. It is the fact that all the industry, all the capital, must have an exit somewhere in the most brutal form. The 'civil war' in Yugoslavia is not the result of an ethnic conflict, but is the result of the economic and political imbalance in Europe." There have been several releases since 1992. The WebMaster also recommended to me "Ljubljana-Zagreb-Beograd" and "M.B.12/84" bith on Mute with some classical tracks not available elsewhere. The first one is early experimental electronic. The second is more monumental. Beside that he would have included "Baptism" but not "Opus Dei". I don't think I will keep the Opus Dei album, listening back to it after some years. Links for Laibach webpages at http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/YUPROG.html Morbid Records Ashes You Leave : The inheritance of Sin and Shame (CR,rec.1999) Tr.1, "Tin thorns" 7 min ? Tr.3, "Sheperd's Song" 3 min 10 With one of those beautiful heavenly voices in the Art Metal genre. Compared with other products in the genre this is more emotionally inspired, with an expression about the after war recovery. So it's worth both for the in depth content / voice expression . The music is by an (art) metal group with violin and flute(s), some acoustic guitar, both often with a metal rock structure too. The now and then appearing second male growling voice fits nice emotionally. Some tracks stands out more emotionally, like the first track and the title track. The second chosen track "Sheperd's Song is a double flute arranged song. Info : www.morbidrecords.de E-mail label : info@morbidrecords.de ; E-mail group : ashesyouleave@mail.com Hurdy Gurdy Rec. Devil Doll : Sacrilegium (I,1991)***** Complete score 48 min Unique concept of the Italian lawyer Mr.Doctor, very theatrical emotionally expressive singing, filmic story with traumatic experiences seen as from a child, heavily arranged with classical music, piano and a rock band. Recorded with Slovenian choir, church organ, accordion, rock band and technician in Lubjana. This is the best work. It's been reworked later as "The sacrilege of fatal arms". That work is musically strong, but the voice is bit less expressive, more technical. All works from Devil Doll are more or less in the same style, except for "Dies Irae" where the rock band now and then takes more lead. Various expressions are more worked out too. Hurdy Gurdy Rec. Devil Doll : Dies Irae (I,199?)****° Tr.10, 6 min Tr.11, 3 min Tr.14, 3 min Tr.15, 2 min TR.16, 3 min 17 Some more powerful tracks from the latest Devil Doll album. More conceptual with horror movie inspiration more to the foreground. Less with Slovenian help too. Links for Devil Doll at http://progressive.homestead.com/ITALYGROUPS.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- General Webpage : http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com with other playlists linked. Progressive music from former Yugoslavia : http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/YUPROG.html Folk Progressive and Acid Folk from former Yugoslavia at http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/YU.html