Laibach - Disc of the day

Laibach
Volk

(Mute, 2006)

Slovenia’s reality-subverting retro-gardists sing the planet’s national anthems.

When they first started back in communist Yugoslavia in 1980, Laibach’s first performance was banned by the authorities for its “misuse” of military and political symbols. Were the spooks of the UDBA still around, it’s a charge they’d no doubt level at 2006’s Volk. Therein, 13 national anthems, including those of America, Russia, China, Britain, France, Japan, Israel, Palestine and the Vatican City are re-cast as frigid techno-pop with their modified words given sinister expression by vocalists Milan Fras (gruff) and Boris Benko (woeful and operatic). As is often the case with Laibach, their music is a maze of conflicting meanings and serious jokes, making for a disquieting listening experience, akin to the world suddenly declaring war on itself before your eyes on Newsnight. Students of history should pay attention to the revanchist threat of China and Russia, while America comes over sounding mad and doomed and dear old Blighty gets a Derek Jameson-baiting God Save The Queen that sneers “So you still believe you’re running the world?” How to restore sanity? With the closer, a scratchy, faux-First World War marching band field recording of the anthem of the NSK - the NSK being Laibach’s virtual state without borders – that features a Steven Hawking robo-voice quoting Winston Churchill. Their most recent album, naturally, was a “Laibachian” interpretation of Bach’s The Art Of The Fugue.

Ian Harrison

Posted by Danny_Eccleston at 6:00 AM GMT 06/06/2008