{"product_id":"gastarbeiter-lp","title":"Gastarbeiter [LP]","description":"\u003ch2\u003eGordan - Gastarbeiter [LP]\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGordan fuse the artistic vocal tradition of the Balkans with abstraction, energy, and minimalism. With their third album, the band draws upon the nascent tradition of Balkan Gastarbeiter songs, placing them within new musical correlations. Employing the tools of noise and pure sound, Gordan portray personal fates from the perspective of \"guest workers.\" The stories these songs tell call for openness and empathy. They are invitations to shift one's perspective. Balkan Gastarbeiter songs are inextricably linked to the history of economic success in Western Europe -- but also to the history of resentment and xenophobia. They serve as a reminder of the origins of Western European prosperity and act as a mirror reflecting contemporary attitudes toward migration and dehumanizing isolationist policy. On the front cover of the album is Gvozden, an everyman of socialist Yugoslavia, created by Mića Popović, a famous dissident artist of the former state. As the title of his painting says, Gvozden leaves for temporary residence. The singing tradition of guest workers from the Balkans was shaped by people from all the countries of the former Yugoslavia. It is a tradition of ordinary laborers -- mostly of rural origin -- and their folk music. This does not constitute a distinct folk genre; rather, the guest-worker song tradition represents a thematic sphere encompassing many new motifs: homesickness, the harsh reality of labor, family separation, cultural conflicts, and the act of leaving elderly parents behind in their home villages. The diverse motifs found in the lyrics address themes such as regret over missed opportunities to leave the country and go abroad, or pride in successes achieved in a foreign land -- including the respect earned within the local community. Gordan play with this thematic richness -- both lyrically and musically. Drummer Andi Stecher eschews all ornamentation, playing with a style that is simultaneously varied and focused. With inventiveness and superb technique, he serves as the driving force behind the band's sound. Guido Möbius plays bass guitar and various electronic sound generators; furthermore, he generates feedback using a guitar amplifier, a microphone, and effects. These sounds -- at times atmospheric, at others highly concrete -- interact with the voice of Svetlana Spajić. Spajić is an internationally renowned expert on the history and practice of a rich and abundant musical tradition. She possesses a mastery and intimate knowledge of the hyper-local vocal styles of the Balkan Peninsula that is virtually unrivaled among contemporary singers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e01. Dedo Dervić\u003cbr\u003e\n02. Koder\u003cbr\u003e\n03. Mara\u003cbr\u003e\n04. Đuro\u003cbr\u003e\n05. Two Sisters\u003cbr\u003e\n06. Memory Of A Birthplace\u003cbr\u003e\n07. Marigold\u003cbr\u003e\n08. Noga Licka A Cipela Becka\u003cbr\u003e\n09. Oh, My Fields And Meadows\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gordan","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50607143387353,"sku":"4030433618615","price":57.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0586\/0468\/3425\/files\/GB186LP_CU.jpg?v=1791181678","url":"https:\/\/drownedworldrecords.com\/en-ca\/products\/gastarbeiter-lp","provider":"Drowned World Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}