Do you remember King Peter
who fled and left the country
to the ether?
Spanning the Atlantic divide between the UK and North America, the tumultuous post-punk quartet, Tantrum Zentrum, unveils their mordantly clever new single, ‘Don’t Be A Fascist,‘ via Teknostan Records. The track is tastefully accompanied by an intriguing animated lyric video, spotlighting notable figures such as Mussolini, Nigel Farage, and Vladimir Putin, all doused in the sharp light of satirical mockery.
Tantrum Zentrum creates a unique sound that combines various influences. Their music features a blend of jagged, discordant notes and catchy hooks, delivered with passion and theatrical flair. “Don’t Be A Fascist” is a captivating fusion of Krautrock and late 70s New York no-wave styles, with hints of other artists such as Soviet Soviet, Ist Ist, The Fall, Falco, and Devo.
This unorthodox anthem, ‘Don’t Be A Fascist,’ is a peculiar love story steeped in wartime ethos. It’s directly inspired by the 80s Yugoslavian pop hit ‘Fa Fa Fašista’ by Sarajevo’s Plavi Orkestar. As the world grapples with unsettling events, the song’s release is uncannily timely. Yet, what sets it apart is its eccentric core – a love song that whimsically sings of an amorous tumble with a fascist.
“The song tells a story as old as time itself: boy meets girl, and they fall in love,” says Vaat Dafuq. “Then their country gets occupied by the German forces of the Third Reich, and the girl falls for the tall, handsome enemy soldier in a magnificent uniform. Needless to say, the boy is furious!”
The new single is performed in English, but it contains a few Bosnian and corrupted German words for emphasis.
“We chose a bombastic title that may resonate with many even now. The release is accompanied by a humorous ‘explainer’-style video that shouldn’t be taken too seriously.”
Watch the video for “Don’t Be A Fascist” below:
Tantrum Zentrum is a frenetic mélange of diverse talents from the UK, Canada, and the USA, with Vaat Dafuq lending his charismatic voice and strumming the guitar, Sabine de Rousseau layering with her own vocals and guitar wizardry, Valhalla Schimmer creating deep resonances with her bass guitar, and Kur Putchnik setting the tempo on the drums. This is the second of three songs recently recorded with renowned producer Steve Evans (Robert Plant, Siouxsie Sioux, Goldfrapp). With analogue synths, distortion and hypnotic drums played with Devo-esque precision, the band’s music shares elements of Krautrock pioneers Neu! and Faust, along with goth and no-wave experimentalists such as Sonic Youth, Glenn Branca and Theoretical Girls.
Tantrum Zentrum curates a live spectacle that is as unforgettable as it is brimming with positive energy and wry humour. Their stellar musicianship is not confined by language boundaries, making their performances a rich multilingual experience. There’s an infectious joy that they bring to each show, a palpable enthusiasm to stir their audience into motion, whilst cultivating a profound sense of unity and togetherness. To celebrate their latest release, they will be igniting stages across a slew of UK club venues, continuing to inspire connections, movement, and communal joy.
‘Don’t Be a Fascist’ is out now, available below as well as streaming on Apple Music and Spotify.
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