A homage to Poland’s rich discography, The Very Polish Cut-Outs is a staple imprint in the Eastern European sphere, reinvigorating old Polish tracks with style and expertise. Sharing with us last year that his label mission is nearly complete, head honcho Zambon rounds off 2015 with the second of two special EPs. The Very Yugo Cut-Outs is a twist on his usual Polish releases, with Serbian edit master Kompleks on board, they funk up, strip back and lovingly repurpose some forgotten Yugoslavian gems.
Opener, ‘San Je Jak’ is a nostalgic 80s vocal cut that has you feeling like you’re gunning down the Miami strip in a vintage DeLorean. Kompleks stays true to the original, yet this edit feels like it has much more gravitas – the funky bassline delivers a glorious punch to your earholes, culminating in soaring pop-rock harmonies and a wonderful disco breakdown. By contrast ‘Da li si me ikad voljela’, is a passionate guitar plead, reworked to eerie perfection. It’s emotive, giving the air of a rock twist on a funeral march, the stripped back vocals allowing for the melancholy organ sequence and gritty guitar to take centre stage.
The subtle disco undertones of ‘Novac Gospodar’ banish the gloomy feels. The breakdown brings a throng of trumpets and everything’s alright in the world. Again, Kompleks’ edit is restrained, the emphasis on looping and fading singer Silva’s commanding vocals and sharpening up the drums and percussion, restoring it as a punchy groove for the dancefloor.
From one scintillating female led track to another, synth-pop number ‘Videosex’ could be the long lost Yugoslavian sister of a Blondie record – a mature 80’s roller with warping synths and bewitching vocals. Zambon’s rework takes it up a notch, adding pace but keeping that glimmering intro, simple titter of percussion and rhythmic trundling bassline right where they belong.
The Very Yugo Cut-Outs is out now and available at Juno
