Looking for Europe

Zusatztext

Neofolk is not to be confused with folksy sing-along music - rather, this music is rooted in the Dark-Wave and Industrial music scenes; it is a playground for punk attitudes, SS death-heads, pastoral romanticism, and Riefenstahl-inspired aesthetics. For many years now, Neofolk has been surrounded by controversies. Indeed, no other contemporary music raises so many questions about the freedom of speech and artistic expression. Some of the bands express Eurocentric worldviews. Is this right-wing populism or the cultural vision of a truly diverse Europe? Other bands offend by using Third Reich symbolism. Political statement or critical shock art? A few of the bands even wear Nazi-like uniforms. Purely an aesthetic rejection of the mainstream or an expression of fascist leanings? In over 500 pages, Looking for Europe takes a comprehensive and non-dogmatic look at one of the most mysterious phenomena of the music underground. All relevant Neofolk bands are portrayed in exclusive chapters featuring interviews and photos. This book examines the area of tension Neofolk is situated in. The spectrum ranges from fragile folk to noisy Industrial, from right-wing anarchists to modern counter-cultural subversions, and from queer fetishism to artistic explorations of obscure ideologies.

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