Laibach
Volk

THE REVIEW

During their thirty years of activity, Laibach has accustomed us to extreme experiments, sudden style changes and continuous provocations and "Volk" is no exception. The title ("People" in German) broadly suggests the album's theme: it is in fact a collection of national anthems reinterpreted by Milan and company, with the help of the excellent Silence (a semi-unknown Slovenian electronic band) and Mina Spiler.

The style of the album is decidedly less violent and aggressive compared to the previous "WAT", the typical martial rhythms are less heavy and Fras's voice, although always low and cavernous, at times becomes a whisper. Having abandoned electric guitars, Laibach focuses on a myriad of extremely measured and refined electronic effects, sometimes sweet and harmonious, sometimes disturbing as if they were interferences.

Regarding the content, it is severely reductive to say that "Volk" is an album of national anthem covers. In the past, Laibach taught us how a successful song can be completely turned upside down both musically and message-wise (I'm reminded of "Opus Dei," a sinister cover of Opus), so a nation's anthem becomes a pretext to express opinions about it, whether positive or negative. The project thus proves very interesting, also because some parts of the original texts are retained, contextualized in often fierce criticism. Among the best pieces, the single "Anglia" is not a particularly benevolent portrayal of the British, with arrogance being rebuked, while "America" takes aim at U.S. imperialism. Milan's tone isn't his usual angry one but that of a father who urges, recalls, reproaches, cuddles his children. "Germania" and "Türkiye" are another two really remarkable tracks for intensity and tension, while "Italia" is weaker, musically too tied to Mameli's anthem. "Francia" and "Rossiya" are decidedly catchy, perhaps too much. "Zhonghua" (China), "Nippon", "Slovania" (from which a single was extracted) remain more difficult for me to decipher since I am not familiar with the respective anthems. The album closes with two instrumental pieces "Vaticanae" and "NSK", the anthem of the international nation of artists founded by Ourselves.

In general, "Volk" is a unique work in the history of music, it pushes the concept of a cover to the extreme, and as for the project itself, there is no other adjective one can give but "genius". From the listener's point of view, we witness an absolutely enjoyable album, never boring and rather refined. The early fans of "Brat Moj" might frown upon a decidedly more accessible work, but I still feel like recommending it to them, as well as to everyone else, provided you don't loathe electronics and synth.