Search - Laibach :: Occupied Europe

Cold war music renaissance

simpcity | 11/04/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Slovenia was the first state to break free from the Yugoslav Federation. For years, Serbian nationalists tried to slander Laibach as "pro-German" and even "neo-fascist." This explains the band's adoption of totalitarian trappings as a mocking rebuke to Yugo-/Serbia's "new socialist man" (what we might call "P.C.").
The first Occupied Europe Tour took place at the critical last stage of the Cold War. Ronald Reagan had given his speech in Europe calling for a United States of Europe (printed on the cd cover). Within four years the Cold War would be over and shortly after that the House of Yugoslavia would go up in flames.
Laibach's self-titled film is a hysterical documentation of this period; it's scary stuff. Shame it's hard to find.
The music here is scary, and the performances are quite good. This is probably the best introduction to Laibach. Indeed the CD was distributed in the months before the Slovenian unilateral declaration of independence. "Vier Personen" is dancey war music if such a thing exists. A nice compliment to Macbeth."

Nova Akropola part 1.

simpcity | 08/23/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD and Laibach's "first studio release," 1985, are contemporaneous but very different. Whereas 1985 lacks definite structure in places, Occupied Europe is an album in the true sense. However, fans who already own Nova Akropola may be slightly dismayed to realize that this album contains most of the same material in different versions or states of development. In contrast to Nova Akropola's version of Nova Akropola, which I believe is about 4 minutes long, Occupied Europe's version is about 10 and lacks vocal treatments. Die Liebe on Occupied Europe has less brass and more bass. As far as I am concerned, this CD is worth buying. Laibach are good."