#whyyoushouldlistento

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Why You Should Listen to: Ekatarina Velika's ‘Ljubav’

Daniel Lester

November 14, 2018 

Welcome to the weekly-series “Why You Should Listen to”, where we will discuss great albums worth every music lover’s attention. In today’s society, while we do have all the possible access to everything and anything on the Internet, it can often happen for us to miss some music we would love to hear. That’s why, every Monday, we will try to help you discover some awesome music in this series of articles. The focus will mostly be on studio albums, be it classics or underrated gems and records that have been forgotten by time. Our focus will also stretch out across the world, from the USA and UK to the African continent, Latin America and even the Balkans. Today, we’ll talk about the legendary ex-Yugoslav band Ekatarina Velika (Ecatherine the Great) and their classic album "Ljubav" ("Love"). NOTE: Since this album is not in English, the translations will most likely be literal and possibly inaccurate at certain points.

The 1970s and 1980s new wave movement may have originated in the UK and US, but it quickly spread all over the world and influenced countless bands from many different countries. It also reached the now-defunct country of Yugoslavia (or as it was fully named the Socialistic Federative Republic of Yugoslavia), which was going through many changes at that time, which would ultimately lead to its demise. The ex-Yugoslav pop culture was quite influenced by what was going on in the UK and US at the time. In the 1970s, the predominant genre was hard rock fused with some traditional elements, dubbed "shepherd rock", a sound created and popularized by the, arguably, most popular ex-Yugoslav band Bijelo Dugme (White Button). While it had a gigantic following, the younger generations wanted to rebel against the primitive sound and silly themes of that genre. The emergence of punk and new wave gave many young bands from the former Yugoslav countries a new theme and a new idea of what kind of sound should be popular. With new wave came many great bands such as the iconic band Idoli (Idols) and many pivotal releases, one of them being the highly lauded new wave compilation album "Paket Aranžman" ("Package Deal"), often considered the best former Yugoslav album. On that compilation, one could hear the cult band Šarlo Akrobata (Charlot the Acrobat, which was how Yugoslav people referred to Charlie Chaplin), the band that would lead to the formation of Ekatarina Velika. It was a young new wave band of rebels Dušan Kojić "Koja" (who would later on form his own influential band Disciplina Kičme), Ivan Vdović "Vd" and Milan Mladenović (who would later on become the founding member and frontman of Ekatarina Velika). After their incredible and critically acclaimed debut album, the band fell apart in 1981 and the members went their own separate ways. Milan and Vd would become part of a new band known as Katarina II with Milan's guitarist friend and band co-founder Dragan Mihajlović "Gagi". Between 1981 and 1984, many line-up changes occured and the band's final core line-up consisted of Milan Mladenović (guitar, lead vocals), classically trained pianist Margita Stefanović "Magi" (keyboards, vocals), Bojan Pečar (bass), with the drummers constantly changing. In 1984 they released their debut as Katarina II, an album that did not reach a wide audience. After a name change to Ekatarina Velika (further referred to as "EKV", as fans of the band liked to call them), the band's next two albums would bring them a dedicated fanbase and critical acclaim, but also some rivalries with other post-punk and new wave bands of the time. EKV is often compared to the likes of Joy Division, The Cure and Talking Heads. They reagrded themselves more as a European band, rather than a Serbian band and were influenced by the likes of Elvis Costello, XTC and Joe Jackson.

from left to right: Bojan, Milan, Magi and drummer at the time Ivan Ranković "Raka"

Since EKV is not a very well-known band around the world, it might be appropriate to introduce the band, in the line-up that recorded their fourth studio album "Ljubav" ("Love"), as we will talk about it in detail.

Milan Mladenović (1958 - 1994) - legendary frontman of the band, who was also the guitarist and main lyricist of the band. He was known for his deep and cryptic lyrics, strong moral values, recognizable and powerful voice that could emit the most blood-curdling and banshee-like shrieks and screams, but also some very smooth and emotive vocals, as well as minimalistic, but integral guitar-playing. While he spent most of his life in Belgrade, he also lived in Zagreb and Sarajevo in his childhood, due to his father's military obligations, which gave Milan a strong connection to his Yugoslav identity. He died of pancreatic cancer in 1994. Margita Stefanović (a.k.a. "Magi") (1959 - 2002) - the second most-known band member, known for her fantastic musicianship and anthemic synth and piano lines. She was loved by fans and bandmates alike, and recognized as a kind and unique spirit. She appears on the front cover of the album. Magi died after being diagnosed as HIV positive, due to intravenuous drug use. Bojan Pečar (1960 - 1998) - was known for his incredible bass guitar skills and iconic basslines. He was a very proficient musician and contributed to the grooves and dynamics of the band's music. He is remembered as the third core member of the band, despite leaving the band in 1989 to move to London, where he also died of a heart attack in 1998. Srđan Todorović (a.k.a. "Žika") (born 1965) - was the band's drummer at the time, and is one of their most well-known members. His primary career is in acting, and is one of the most famous ex-Yugoslav actors, who is still active today. The album "Ljubav" was the band's fourth album. It came after the band's sophomore album "S' Vetrom Uz Lice" ("With the Wind Against My Face") that gave them the necessary and well-deserved mainstream attention in Yugoslavia. While some critics accused them of "selling out", fans approved of their success and continued to support them throughout. The recording of the album started in the summer of 1987, and was completed in one month. It was produced by Australian gutarist Theodore Yanni, and carried the band's signature new-wave and post-punk sound to new heights.

The opening track, and also one of their most well-known, is "Zemlja" ("Land"). It is a song driven by a flanged guitar playing a very anthemic and repetitive riff, while the bass and drums carry the groove and set the foundation for Milan's voice and lyrics. Magi's keyboard playing is present, but is a bit more subdued on this track. Milan's lyrics seem to symbolize unity, brotherhood and love, making this song one of the more brighter cuts in the band's often dark discography.

The title track is also a fan-favorite, opening with a punchy and loud drumbeat that welcomes the rest of the energetic instrumentation, in the form of the ever-dynamic bass and quite punkish guitar riffs. Magi's synth lines add a light melody that makes the energetic track more refined and help Milan delve into the topic of love not being as its advertised to us. Lines such as "I boli, i boli, i boli/Boli nas ljubav" (And it hurts, and it hurts, and it hurts/Love hurts us) or "Uz lažni smeh/I naše reči od milja su navika/I naša imena od milja su navika" ("With fake laughs/And our nice words are just a habit/And our sweet nicknames are just a habit"), clearly paint Milan's idea of love as being just a habit, rather than a true and constant feeling, meaning that relationships aren't always pure and genuine as we want them to be. The vocal harmonies in the chorus make this energetic, yet bittersweet track all the more worthy of listening.

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Why You Should Listen to: The Streets' ‘Original Pirate Material’

Daniel Lester 

October 22, 2018

Welcome to the weekly-series “Why You Should Listen to”, where we will discuss great albums worth every music lover’s attention. In today’s society, while we do have all the possible access to everything and anything on the Internet, it can often happen for us to miss some music we would love to hear. That’s why we will try to help you discover some awesome music in this series of articles. The focus will mostly be on studio albums, be it classics or underrated gems and records that have been forgotten by time. Our focus will also stretch out across the world, from the USA and UK to the African continent, Latin America and even the Balkans. Today, we'll talk about the pivotal UK hip-hop record, "Original Pirate Material" by The Streets.

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The UK has never been known as a huge hip-hop place, at least not in comparison to its place of origin - the USA. Lately though, thanks to UK grime and the likes of Skepta and Stormzy, the United Kingdom is getting its well-deserved cred in the hip-hop game. Although all these fresh new names are flooding the scene and making a name for themselves, one must not forget the people who paved the way for such artists with their breakthrough projects. The 2000s in music were an interesting time. The radio waves were dominated by the new rock revival, nu metal, boybands, R&B, pop, house and bling rap. The UK had a slightly different scene from that in the US thanks to a collection of dance and rap subgenres that came from the underground. One of the earliest of these genres was UK Garage, an important movement in the 2000s, as well as today, thanks to many revivalists. While the UK Garage beats were skippy and sung over, usually to serve the function that house music served in the USA, there weren't too many rappers in the world tackling those faster beats. At least not in the way a young bloke from Birmingham would with his 2002 debut album.

Mike Skinner, a young producer, and rapper, 23 at the time, was preparing a sonic revolution in the hip-hop and garage scene that nobody was ready for, probably including him as well. His debut came in the form of "Original Pirate Material", released under the name The Streets, and featured some incredibly fresh garage and hip-hop beats, sharp lyricism, various moods and topics and just a sense of importance that seems to stand the test of time even today, considering the fact that the album does not sound dated in any way. This is even more impressive when you realize that it was produced on an IBM Thinkpad laptop in Skinner's bedroom. Most of the beats are driven by the skippy garage beats that just serve their function of driving the song, along with minimalistic sub-basslines underneath incredibly powerful string sections and the occasional piano loop. Really, if there is anything that marks the instrumentals of this album as iconic and incredible, it is definitely the strings. We first get a taste on the opener "Turn the Page", with the cinematic strings being driven by the energetic beat and Skinner's sharp wit as he uses references from the movie "Gladiator" to introduce us to The Streets and the messages we are about to hear on this iconic record. When reading the lyrics without the music, it sounds like poetry with occasional lines that sound straight from a casual conversation or a typical hip-hop song, which is the magic of Skinner's music and personality. He manages to sound like an average Joe and a prophet at the same time, a rapper and a regular young citizen, clever and simplistic and tons of other possible contrasts. Delivering epic lines such as "Eyes transfixed with a piercing gaze/One hand clutching his sword raised to the sky" and the closing line "Brace yourself, 'cause this goes deep/I'll show you the secrets, the sky and the birds/Actions speak louder than words/Stand by me, my apprentice/Be brave, clench fists", he makes the listener wonder what could possibly come next to top this awesome introduction. And then this song happens:

"Has It Come to This ?" must be one of the most important, if not the most important, song of early 2000s hip-hop. It creates such a powerful feeling of melancholy, malaise, and nostalgia thanks to a beautiful piano loop, a sharp garage beat and hints of sub-bass. Skinner's lyrics don't convey a larger-than-life meaning, but rather seem to almost document the time they were written in, referencing PlayStations and 64s, the UK Garage scene and smoking weed with friends in your apartment. The hook is basically a sung vocal singing the title of the track while Skinner delivers the iconic lines "Original pirate material/You're listening to The Streets/Lock down your aerials". He also drops some amazingly creative lines such as "Turn the page, don't rip it out at your age, move to the next stage/Lock the rage inside the cage, like SK, it's a new day", showing just how proficient he is at crafting great song lines and delivering them. Now, since the record has been perfectly introduced with its two stellar openers, Mike Skinner has to show his mission statement. He did that with the song "Let's Push Forward", with which he seems to claim that he is going to prove to those who believe nothing changes and everything stays static, that he will push things forward, most likely referring to the genre he is trying to impact. This is evident in the lines such as "I make bangers not anthems, leave that to the Artful Dodger", showing that he is beyond commercially-crafted music.

"Sharp Darts" is a weird short track that sounds fantastic for its brief runtime, and actually bears a bit of resemblance to American rap, but is delivered with Skinner's typical wit and charm that sets him apart from most MC's. The following tracks "Same Old Thing" and "Geezers Need Excitement" are about the everyday life Skinner goes through and how if "geezers" like him might turn to violence and drugs if not entertained. The former track is led by another fantastic loop of strings and a cool beat that makes it more lively than its central theme. On the other hand, the latter of the two tracks has a more somber instrumental showing the darker side of Skinner's lyrics and how it's easy to get yourself lost in the monotony of life and trying to find a violent way out.

Even though this album is a concept one, about the youth of England and how they spend their time smoking weed, going to garage parties and hanging with friends, there is occasionally a song that hits a bit harder in the feels. "It's Too Late" is the track that seems to follow that pattern, with Skinner rapping about losing his girl due to his irresponsibility and being a neglectful boyfriend, over a sad string section and beat, almost painting a cliche picture of a boyfriend begging for forgiveness at the airport while his girl is leaving him for good. "Now nothing holds significance and nothing holds relevance/'Cause the only thing I can see is her elegance" are the lines that finish off the final verse before the final chorus, teaching us that taking our partners needs seriously is key to a good relationship. "Too Much Brandy" is a funny story about Skinner getting wasted drinking Brandy, eating junk food and getting high, leaving him sick and quite regretful. This is followed by the charming and energetic hit single "Don't Mug Yourself", in which Skinner is fighting his inner self over pursuing a girl he just met. His friend Cal is the voice of reason on the track and tries to help him, but he just doesn't listen, telling him that he is not a sap and that he has the game all figured out. It's driven by a colorful beat consisting of only drums and a bassline that easily gets stuck in one's head. All in all, a funny and charming song about dating and advice we all get from friends, whether we like it or not.

"Who Got the Funk?" is, as its name suggests, a funk song that features a guitar with a wah-wah pedal, horn stabs and a groovy bassline, and Skinner talking about random locations. It's a nice little interlude before the song "The Irony of it All", a song that features two characters played by Skinner himself. We are introduced to an alcoholic who claims that he is a law-abiding citizen and causes no trouble, who is known under the name Terry. The other one is a stoner that is soft-spoken and not nearly as aggressive as Terry, talking about how his marijuana abuse is less negatively influencing his society unlike alcohol, and how his other activities involve thinking about Einstein and discussing how beautiful Gail Porter is. This is a very unique and interesting track, in which Skinner plays these two roles to perfection. As the album nears its end, we are also reaching Skinner's more melancholic side on the song "Weak Become Heroes" where he talks about realizing that his youth will not last forever. "It's dark all 'round, I walk down. same sights, same sounds/ New beats, though, solid concrete under my feet" is a line that suggests that, while Skinner is probably far from his halycon days of taking drugs and partying, there is always something new on the horizon to keep him going, as weak become heroes and the stars align. After the short interlude "Who Dares Wins", we get into the closing track, which is also the darkest on the entire record. "Stay Positive" has a dark looping piano and a slower beat, while Skinner raps about life having severe downs that should not stop us, but rather make us stronger. He refers to the listener as "you" in order to catch our attention and gives us a lot of smart and observative lines on the topic at hand. "But remember that one day, shit might just start crumbling/Your bird might fuck off or you might lose your job/It's when that happens that what I'm talking about/Will feel much more important to you" is the line that hits hardest, because if one is listening to the problems Skinner lists earlier and thinks that they are safe from them, they are reminded that they might find themselves in this difficult position too, and then, this song will matter to them much more than it does now. "Original Pirate Material" is truly a timeless record, full of classics and it is a must-listen for fans of any type of music. No single track on it feels superfluous and each adds something different to the table. It is a landmark album for Uk hip hop as well as garage and will most likely continue to influence young producers and MCs finding their own voice in this oversaturated world.

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Why You Should Listen To: Björk's 'Post'

Daniel Lester 

October 9, 2018

Welcome to the weekly-series "Why You Should Listen to", where we will discuss great albums worth every music lover's attention. In today's society, while we do have all the possible access to everything and anything on the Internet, it can often happen for us to miss some music we would love to hear. That's why we will try to help you discover some awesome music in this series of articles. The focus will mostly be on studio albums, be it classics or underrated gems and records that have been forgotten by time. Our focus will also stretch out across the world, from the USA and UK to the African continent, Latin America and even the Balkans. The first in the series is Björk's fantastic sophomore album "Post". Enjoy!

The Icelandic singer and producer Björk Guðmundsdóttir, who is iconic in the underground and avant-garde music scene, is probably one of the few artists who has reached both critical acclaim and mainstream success. Most of us could agree that she is the type of artist you either "get" or "notget" (reference intended). Her music output over her long career has been nothing but vast and inventive. From an early age, she has been exposed to music via her classical piano and flute classes, and at 12 she had already released her first self-titled album. She was seen as a sort of wunderkind, a fact that her family wanted to use from this early age to their benefit, but Björk would only later reach that targeted level of success. After years of singing in many underground projects such as Spit and Snot, Exodus, JAM80, Tappi Tikarrass, Kukl and the cult Icelandic band The Sugarcubes.

Needless to say, the avant-garde pop queen has been busy with music throughout her life. We strongly recommend listening to her pre-solo work, especially The Sugarcubes, one of the rare instances you'll hear Björk's iconic voice paired with typical rock band instrumentation. However, she decided to distance herself from that sound in 1992 when she moved to London in pursuit of a new sound and a proper debut solo album. After being exposed to the sounds of house music, techno and trip-hop and meeting Nellee Hooper, she released her proper fantastic debut album, ironically titled "Debut". Her new experimental blend of pop, techno, experimental and traditional Icelandic music would start to develop here. Her next album "Post" however, is when she really hit the ball out of the park artistically. "Post" is a truly interesting listen, not just because of the myriad of influences and sounds, but also because of the stellar songwriting and melodies. The most known two tracks off this album are most definitely "Army of Me" and the cover of an old jazz song "It's Oh So Quiet", which Björk quickly made her own. The screams and overall vocal delivery on that song is a show of Björk's eccentric and lovable personality. Not to mention the iconic music video paired up with the song. While her albums are usually coherent in sound and theme, "Post" sounds more like a fantastic collection of songs, that, despite their differences, gel together perfectly across its runtime. "Army of Me" is the industrial banger that kicks off this masterpiece of an album with a dark, driving synthbass, punchy drums and Björk's angry delivery of the lyrics that deal with a relative of hers stagnating in life and pestering her for help to get his shit together. This aggressive side of Björk was not very present on "Debut", so to have this as the opener on "Post" must have been a surprise for first-time listeners. 

The song that follows is called "Hyperballad". Now this, this is truly a musical masterpiece, and for a variety of reasons. Not only is this one of her most classic songs, but is truly timeless and genreless. It is a song with so much power and beauty at the same time, the lyrics of which talk about a situation in which Björk and her lover live on a mountain. One morning she wakes up before him, and pushes random things off and watches them fall, reminding her that life is anything but safe and certain. She then blasts into a super-emotive chorus about how, despite this creeping feeling of uncertainty, she feels safe in her lover's presence. A truly honest and one-of-a-kind love song. If you listen to nothing off this album, at least give this one a shot. The song "Isobel" is another powerful, bustling song that combines more traditional instrumentation with Björk's techno-tinged sound. It was composed by her on a portable Casio keyboard after inventing the melody on a Christmas visit to Iceland. She worked hard on the song, inventing the character of Isobel with the help of Icelandic poet Sjón. It's a track about the clash of nature and modern civilization, this duality originating from Björk's early life spent in nature and moving to big cities. Thus, Isobel is portrayed as a second Björk on the single cover art for this song. The sounds coming from the speakers when listening to this put you in a sort-of dark forest and you feeling a strong spirit approaching you, but you are not sure if it's welcoming or hostile. One of the most saddest songs I've heard in the longest time lands on this album under the title "Possibly Maybe". It is such a chilling ballad about a break-up, it truly hits hard. It is quite mellow with a simplistic, bassy melody that echoes as Björk reminisces about a break-up with Stephane Sednaoui. Phones ringing in the background and Björk's beautiful vocal harmonies in the chorus truly give this song its weight. "You've Been Flirting Again" is similarly dark-sounding, but a nice breather of a song in the constantly fluctuating tracklist. It is thematically about the playfulness of flirting and the game of push-pull with the person you're attracted to. It's a perfectly peaceful interlud between the hard-hitting mammoths that are "Enjoy" and "Isobel". Speaking of "Enjoy", it is one of the heaviest songs on the album, with awesomely weird horn samples and Björk's soaring vocal delivery. It seems to be about exploration with one's senses, the ability of sensing things and dealing with what you feel, whether you like it or not. The message seems to be "just enjoy the sensations and explore them without fear". "The Modern Things", along with "Army of Me" is one of the first songs Björk created, even before "Debut". These two songs, along with "Hyperballad" craft such a strong trifecta of intro tracks that will instantly hook you to this album and imprint it in your head and ears. "The Modern Things" combines English and Icelandic into a tune that deals with modernization of society, despite what has happened before. The modern things will always be on the horizon, meaning that humans will always continue to evolve their society, and she seems to be at peace with that. "I Miss You" is another banger with tribal percussion and driving horn sections. It tackles the topic of knowing your perfect lover, despite meeting them. While the song itself is quite lovely, the animated music video (created by "Ren and Stimpy" creator John Kricfalusi) makes it even more special. "Cover Me" is the quieter moment of the album, dedicated to its co-producer Nellee Hooper, for helping Björk deliver not one, but two masterpieces to the world and leaving her fingerprints on music history. The closing track "Headphones", co-produced by Björk's ex Tricky, who is a trip-hop legend in his own right, is one of the most artistic moments on the album. If you want to get the most out of this beautiful song, you have to wear headphones. It is just that detailed and pretty, that it serves as a perfect finish to a near-perfect album. This record, overall, is perfect for people who are open-minded and love groundbreaking music projects. Björk's enchanting and unique voice may be the center of the album, but the instrumentation and lyrical themes keep this an amazing front-to-back listen. Sounds best in autumn or winter, especially at night. Hope you will enjoy it!