Review: Laibach – '1 VIII 1944 Warszawa'

LAIBACH
'1 VIII 1944 Warszawa'
POLISH NATIONAL CENTRE FOR CULTURE

Avant garde Slovenians Laibach were invited by the Polish National Centre For Culture to create this EP to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising. This was an operation led by the Polish resistance forces during the Second World War with the aim of liberating the Polish capital Warsaw from the control of Nazi Germany.

The EP harks back to the band's 2006 album 'Volk' with its hints of ethnic Polish musical influences filtered through the Laibachian avant garde process to create something truly unique. The three tracks come together to create a solemn and almost mournful atmosphere despite the up-tempo construction of 'Warszawskie dzieci' with its funky slap bass high in the mix, and 'Zog Nit Keyn Mol' with its undeniable groove. Although the final track, 'Mach Dir Nichts Daraus' tugs at the heart strings the most with a lighter and more sinister lullaby feel to it.

The EP as you'd expect from a highly regarded collective such as Laibach is not some hastily put together throwaway oddity. The songs stand shoulder to shoulder with the best of their recent output and although separate from the contemporary critiques of 'Spectre', it doesn't feel a million miles away in terms of sentiment.

This may be a discography oddity that hardcore completists will have to have. But the strength of Laibach's song writing, the strong conceptual element and the sheer quality of these tracks mean that '1 VIII 1944 Warszawa' is a very rewarding listen for those who will seek it out. 

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