Single: Anglia

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Mute, 2006

Full Track Listing: click titles for lyrics

1. Anglia - Laibach
2. Anglia (Sanctus Mix)               WMA Clip     OGG Clip
3. Anglia (Crushed Mix)
4. España
5. España (El Toreador Mix)

Review:
'Anglia' is the first single from the 'Volk' album. It has the album version of the track plus two remixes. It also has the Track 'Espana' from the 'Volk' album plus one remix. We are introduced to the voice of Boris Benko of the group 'Silence' who provides secondary vocals. Benko's high pitched vocal stylings on 'Anglia', in my opinion, sound like a cross between Mathew Bellamy of 'Muse' and Russell Mael of  1970's group 'Sparks'. It must be said, however, that he uses deeper tones on other 'Volk' tracks.

The lyrics on 'Anglia' are unusually clear and direct for a Laibach track; that England attempts to punch too far above it's weight, trying to fool others, including it's people that they still rule the world. This track is slightly down tempo for my tastes, and would have preferred the usual Laibach chorals for the national anthem segments. Benko's soft reedy vocals used for these parts perhaps mirrors the vulnerable image of faded glory that Laibach are conveying about England.

The first remix, 'Sanctus', is much more to my liking. It has drive, momentum, chanting monks, and sounds like the natural progression from the stomping techno style found on the previous WAT album. The dark guttural tones of Milan Fras and the higher pitched voice of Boris Benko seem to complement each other perfectly on this mix. I found the original version more of a mismatch in this regard. This track has found a permanent place on my favourite playlist.

The second remix, 'Crushed', is far more broken down, with sparse vocals, broken beats, a radio tuning in at the beginning, and Winston Churchill's famous 'Never surrender' speech in the middle. This is a more subtle approach to 'Anglia'. I quite like this version but far prefer the 'Sanctus' mix.

'Espana' sounds quite mainstream. The opening almost sounds like a Eurovision entry, and I mention this in a positive way. I also picked up hints of early 1980's electronica such as 'Ultravox' in various parts of the track. The lyrics are rousing, and militaristic, calling the nation to war once again. Overall there is a contrast between the melodic niceties of the tune, and the warlike darkness of the lyrics. This perhaps highlighting the difference between the sunny hedonistic holiday destination image of modern Spain with it's warlike past, fear of God, and fiery latin spirit.

The 'El Toreador' mix sounds harder edged, with far stronger beats than the original. This leads to the dark warlike vocals being somewhat drowned out. Again, as in the 'Anglia Sanctus Mix', this mix is sonically a natural descendant of the WAT album, but in this case I find the original mix far better suited to the material.

A final thought is to wonder why Laibach chose to put 'Anglia' and 'Espana' on the same single. Historically old enemies, yet linked nowadays by cheap holidays on the Costa's, the settlement of roughly 800,000 British in Spain, and the resulting collapse of traditional Spanish culture in areas of high British 'colonisation'. Could Laibach's message be that 'this an example of England/Anglia still believing that it rules the world.

Lyrics:

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