PRLJAVO KAZALIŠTE - "CRNO BIJELI SVIJET" (1980)

Prljavo Kazalište were founded in Zagreb at the end of the Seventies by guitar player Jasenko Houra and singer Davorin Bogović.

This is their second album, which marked a departure from the raw punk sound of their eponymous debut, embracing post-punk, new wave, power pop, dub, ska, harmonized vocals, and alienated atmospheres. 
It was recorded in Milan, Italy, and produced by Ivan "Piko" Stančić, one of the most important producers in the history of Yugoslavian music (Grupa 220, Idoli, Aerodrom, Film, Električni Orgazam, Psihomodo Pop, and many others).

"Crno bijeli svijet" sold 200.000 copies in its first year of release, establishing Prljavo Kazalište as one of the most popular bands of the nation. Brilliant ska numbers such as the title track and "Mi plešemo" are among the biggest hits of that era, but my favourite is probably the frantic "Neki moji prijatelji", with its beautiful liquid guitars.

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BAJAGA I INSTRUKTORI - "PRODAVNICA TAJNI" (1988)

Bajaga i Instruktori were formed in Belgrade by Momčilo Bajagić "Bajaga" after he left hard rock quintet Riblja Čorba, where he played the guitar. Luckily, Instruktori proved to be much more interesting than his previous band. 
This is their fourth and most accomplished work. It was a big hit, selling 360.000 copies before the war started.

Despite its popularity, it doesn't sound trivial at all. On the contrary, it is a refined, beautiful anthology of songs which encompass post-punk epicness ("Tišina"), local folk tradition ("Verujem, ne verujem"), psychedelic synth pop ("Plavi safir"), mysterious ballads ("Ruski voz"), and funny calypso numbers ("Život je nekad siv nekad žut").

It's exciting how it goes from silly refrains to suffocating atmospheres in the space of one song. A must hear for anyone who loves pop-rock music from the Eighties.

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DOLPHIN - "SUSHCHESTVO" (2011)

Original title: Существо

Always sided by multi-instrumentalist Pavel Dodonov, Dolphin creates another great, mature art-rock album, where hypnotic rhythms, harsh guitar solos, and tragic melodies intertwine each other. 
It's without any doubt one of the best Russian albums of this decade.

P.S. If you speak Russian and you wish to translate some of the lyrics, feel free to contribute by posting in the comments section.

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FLAMENGO - "KUŘE V HODINKÁCH" (1972)

Singer and multi-instrumentalist Vladimír Mišík is one of the most important figures of Czech music. After having left Blue Effect, he joined Flamengo, who were formed in 1966 by guitar and bass player Pavel Fořt. 

Despite having released some singles before, this is their first and only album. By the time of its sessions, rock music was stricktly forbidden in Czechoslovakia, but Flamengo managed to use a professional studio to record these songs, with the help of Josef Kainar, poet and member of the communist party. 
Kainar was by all means involved in the project, as he wrote seven lyrics out of eight. Four songs were composed by Jan Kubik (who played flute, sax, and clarinet), three by Mišík himself, and two collectively. Fořt arranged most of the album.
Mišík is the main vocalist, except on "Stále dál", which is sung by keyboard player Ivan Khunt.

"Kuře v hodinkách" (lit. "The Chicken in the Wristwatch") was released in limited edition at the time, as its audacious lyrics didn't get approved by the government. It was finally reissued in 1990, after the end of the Soviet regime.

Flamengo disbanded in 1973, but they played some reunion shows in recent years. Many regard their album as the pinnacle of rock music from Czechoslovakia. It is indeed a progressive rock classic.

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MARIA PESZEK - "KARABIN" (2016)

Maria Peszek is Poland's most controversial artist, hated by many and loved by some.

Produced by a talented multi-instrumentist such as Michał Król, this new album debuted at no. 2 in Poland, staying in the top 10 for a couple of months.
I consider it an art-pop masterpiece, and I love how electronic rhythms are perfectly balanced by guitars and acoustic piano.

Peszek's lyrics are stronger than ever. I want to post some verses from "Modern Holocaust", one of the most shocking tracks of recent years.

A letter, letter, letter in a white envelope,
someone, someone threatens me with death.
You smell of a lesbian, you leftist scum,
dumb bitch, Jewish hooker.

Today, today someone texts me in the internet.
I'll destroy you, fuck you up and flush you in the toilet,
you smell of a lesbian, you leftist scum,
you're stupid, bitch, i'll find you for sure.

[...]

The big furnace of Polish hate burns,
there's nowhere to flee, nowhere to run away.
It's like a gulp of dirty vodka,
Polish modern holocaust.

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