Moravia with Brno as its hub had a thriving musical underground scene in the eighties, a unique sonic microcosm of various projects, bands and personalities. Some of the most important bands of the Brno scene were foremostly Dunaj, but also other less renowned projects such as E, Happyend, Odvážní bobříci, Ošklid, Ještě jsme se nedohodli, Podchodem vchod, Z kopce. 

As part of the project 20 after which rediscovers the gems of the 80ties underground for the current generations and creates and audiovisual archive of Brno alternative culture, is the compilation Brzo na mě přijde rada which has several Czech, Polish and Slovak musicians reinterpreting the music of their forebears.

Kompilace 20after by 20after.eu

Midi Lidi - Na jih (original by Dunaj) by Bumbum Satori

The Polish project Fuka Lata, which we’ve written about a number of times on our blog, explores psychedelic sonic regions and drone-ridden territories. Fuka Lata is LeeDVD on vocals, electronics and bass and Mito Eszter on guitar. Their five-track album Other Sides is out now on Krakow-based experimental label Audiotong.

The album is also out as a free digital release. 

Czech producer Moimir Papalescu is one of the most active on the scene with his numerous aliases such as non-existing electroclash band Moimir Papalescu and the Nihilists, legendary EBM project Vanessa, Magnetik or Die Alten Machinen a collaboration with Devo’s Gerald Casal. His latest project is Dioda Boy. Deadpan female vocals meet eighties influenced synth/electro. Their single Variations is out now on Czech label X Production and apart from the original track also features remixes by Czech and Slovak producers. Check it out here. 

Dioda Boy - Variations by Dioda Boy

At least since the 1940s the cacophonic sound of the urban metropolis has attracted the creative ears of composers. John Cage has been an avid field recorder (check out his Williams Mix with at least 600 hundred various sounds including those of the city) or Pierre Schaeffer’s Etude aux chemins de fer, the first musique concréte recording, which utilized the sounds of trains. In the nineties it was David Holmes ode to New York City on Let’s Get Killed. The list goes on…

A bunch of young Slovak producers utilized samples of urban traffic field recordings in their tracks. The album entitled Metropola “Urban Traffic Compilation” is out now as a free release on the Slovak label AJLÁVMJUZIK. You can download it here.

Metropola - Batcha demental by easterndaze

Metropola - Stroon by easterndaze

Metropola - Asebest by easterndaze

We’ve stumbled across the mysterious project from Romania on Soundcloud. Victims of Truth, as the project is called, incorporates the “word” communism in its geographical description. No website or any other directives are included, apart from a lengthy Wikipedia entry about communism. Eerie renditions of Socialist propaganda, children’s singalongs as well as cut ups Ceauşescu’s speech can be heard in their tracks. Considering Romania’s dark communist past, is Victims of Truth a catharsis of the young generation? 

The Reconstitution (2007) by VICTIMS OF TRUTH

We In 2000 (2008) by VICTIMS OF TRUTH

Last Speech (2010) by VICTIMS OF TRUTH

Black Is Beautiful (2011) by VICTIMS OF TRUTH

image: Wikimedia