Reviews

Iron Curtain Radio

Planlos Smog & Ruß LP

First things first—fans of underground and undiscovered ’80s DIY punk, run to the Aufnahme + Wiedergabe label now. Seriously. A label dedicated to reissues of recordings from GDR’s vibrant and illegal punk scene is going to grab my attention immediately, and I’m ashamed that I am just learning of the label today, but rest assured that I am about to give their releases a considerable dose of my time (and money). But to the release at hand, East Berlin’s PLANLOS is a compelling and mysterious Deutschpunk slog. Slow plodding numbers like “Schlage” conjure EA80 and JOY DIVISION, while driving burners like “Tagging Tagaus” and “Deutschland” are filled with infectious mystery and make you wonder what a band like this could have done without the shadow of state oppression (though perhaps is that very shadow that made them so compelling and unique). This record (and tape) features their seven-song demo from 1982, two tracks recorded live the same year, and re-recordings from 2024 with help from the band L’ATTENTAT—even though the songs are the same, it feels like you’re listening to a split release with two different bands, and I’m very glad that I don’t have to choose between the two. A glorious concept, an important document, and an excellent release.

V/A We Are the Flowers in the Red Zone LP

This is an absolute treasure! By 1988, Polish zine/label QQRYQ had created strong bonds with like-minded punks around the Eastern Bloc and compiled a tape with bands from GDR, Hungary and Poland. Stories of dedicated punks in this repressive state and time are always humbling and inspiring, and there are a few great ones in this package. Two booklets are included, one is a reproduction of the first (?) punk zine from the GDR, which had to be printed in Warsaw and then smuggled across the East German border either in a stinky beer-soaked backpack, or sewed into a giant teddy bear—there are two partially conflicting accounts. Either way, the Stasi inserted a spy into the punk community and managed to seize the zines before distribution! Needless to say, it’s ten beautiful typewritten and collaged pages covering DDR and Polish punk. The other booklet is focused more on the original tape of this release, with original layout reprinted nice and big and with added photos and retrospectives on the relevant scenes and projects. And of course there’s the music! The two opening tracks from ANDREA’S AUSLAF (GDR) are noisy, but awesome, but had me wondering if this would be another LP’s worth of hardly listenable live boombox recordings. Not the case! Quality varies but overall is enjoyable lo-fi, raw and passionate punk and hardcore from TRYBUNA BRUDU, DIE TROTTEL, KEIN TALENT + NAMENLOS, DEZERTER, BIZTONSÁGI TANÁCS, WARTBURGS FÜR WALTER, and closing with possibly the most ripping track by Poland’s A.P.S.F. If you are the least bit interested in punk behind the Iron Curtain, or even cool old punk ephemera of any kind, this LP is an absolute must.