An album called ‘United Kingdom Of Anxiety’ was never likely to be an easy listen…
However, Polish producer Natalia Zamilska has captured the state of her nation next door to Ukraine and the state of world in the face of conflict. Self-described as a “symphony of horror”, Zamilska has transformed violent emotions into an unsettling work of art. In her artistic ethos, she has parallels with the likes of GAZELLE TWIN and SIERRA.
As on the lead single ‘Odyssey’ featuring the guest voice of huskie aka Ola Myszor, bass envelopes are ominous and tensions run high over 17 pieces of music. Many are songs, but some are soundscapes and extended interludes like the post-punk unsettlement of ‘Golden Tooth’. ‘No Gods’ with the screeching aggression of Pachu from grindcore band HOSTIA ventures into fierce industrial metal. But this is familiar territory for Zamilska, as her most recent album ‘Incovered’ in 2019 ably demonstrated.
Featuring the vocals of Natalia Przybysz, ‘Persist’ does as its title suggests and stands proud as she makes the proclamation to “Let me rise like a mist”. Meanwhile a distorted huskie returns on ‘Shot In The Head’ for a updated electronic take on PORTISHEAD.
The warning sirens go off rather fittingly to ‘1984’ to exude fear and anger in a world of impending totalitarianism, before ‘Deadfall’ plays around with fierce percussive noise and ‘Dysponea’ closes with a no less suffocating barrage of turbulence.
In a year which has featured emotive works by a number of female artists, while Patricia Wolf preferred to let the music quietly speak and Julia-Sophie was driven to the point of solemn resignation, Zamilska doesn’t go down without at least a fight. Her opening for Kim Gordon of SONIC YOUTH on her European Tour is wholly appropriate.
‘United Kingdom Of Anxiety’ won’t be for everyone but with the projection of a potential dystopian outcome for Eastern Europe and the rest of the world after, this is a worthy listen that will be no form of escapism.
‘United Kingdom Of Anxiety’ is released by NoPaper Records / !K7 as a vinyl LP, CD and via the usual digital platforms including https://zamilskaofficial.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/zamilska/
https://www.instagram.com/zamilska/
Text by Chi Ming Lai
4 October 2024
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