ALBUM REVIEW: Turbo Polka Party – Russkaja
RUSSKAJA are one of the most unique bands around right now. Fusing together punk, metal, ska and polka elements, the Austrian septet seem to be just a fun-loving, expressional group of musicians from a distance. However, this band are far more influential than that if you start to dig a little deeper. After listening to their energetic sound, it becomes more and more apparent that RUSSKAJA are clearly on a mission to provide their fans with a sense of optimism and happiness despite their sometimes hard-hitting lyrical content.
Whilst the band have always undoubtedly had a somewhat political mindset when it comes to making music, their seventh studio album Turbo Polka Party could be the most influential to date. RUSSKAJA seem particularly intent on maintaining that sense of positivity, whilst discussing controversial yet important topics such as the ongoing war in Ukraine. It has to be said that this body of work could also be the most personal yet, due to both Russian born vocalist Georgij Makazaria and Ukrainian bassist Dimitrij Miller‘s ancestral ties to their home countries. Despite the undeniably difficult situation for the band members, they are more determined than ever to prove to their fanbase that they are most certainly anti-war.
This stance is solidified in the first track on the album, the politically-focused No Borders. A ska-influenced, brass-filled melody kicks things off in the best way, before a catchy yet important chorus lets listeners know of their political standing regarding the Russia-Ukraine war as Makazaria emotively sings: “No borders, no wars / We‘re equal, all the same / No nations, no fighting / Just stop this game”. Whilst the song is undeniably infectious and seemingly optimistic, the track sends out a very crucial message to their fanbase, whilst they pray that the tensions won’t jeopardise and damage their appeal as a collective.
Next up is Russki Style. Even though the clear ska influence feeds through into this track, the intro is also metal influenced with a heavy riff becoming the main focus. This track represents RUSSKAJA in the best way possible, with their typical energetic sound seeping through every note. Shapka also plays around with their usual style a little more, introducing more of a LIMP BIZKIT inspired nu-metal flavour to the proceedings come the chorus. The ending sounds almost like a ska version of an EVERY TIME I DIE song, which is interesting to say the least. Olga Van Der Wolga is up next, which really showcases Makazaria‘s vocal talent. This track is a complete contrast to the last, and it features German medieval metal group IN EXTREMO‘s vocalist Michael Rhein. Even though this song is a lot slower in comparison, it is a pleasant change from RUSSKAJA‘s usual fast-paced style.
Paschli is a sure-fire return to the group’s optimistic and fun-loving nature. It perhaps doesn’t have as much grit and memorability as tracks such as Shapka, but it is a suitable album track to say the least. New Life changes things up unexpectedly again, with Makazaria adopting more of a reggae style vocal for this track – another style which suits him down to the ground. However, we are then treated to another surprise with the addition of a guest female vocalist. This gives the song even more variety and life, which makes for a pleasant change. Vozdukh follows and features none other that SKINDRED‘s Benji Webbe for a collaboration that we didn’t necessarily expect but still welcome with open arms. From the first second you can tell the two genres of music have merged, with a SKINDRED-style melody leading the way. Webbe‘s recognisable vocals nestle their way into the track like an absolute dream and it makes for such a fantastic partnership.
Senales is up next, featuring German hip-hop and rock quintet LE FLY. Unfortunately, this is probably one of the most forgettable tracks on the entire album, leaving not much room for discussion. A cover of WHAM‘s Last Christmas is probably not what you’d expect to hear next, but that’s what you get. Given it is one of the world’s best-loved Christmas tracks, this cover has a lot to live up to, but it most definitely delivers. Towards the end it adds a touch of fantastic RUSSKAJA style humour which really sets this cover apart from the rest. Baila is another energetic example that could resemble many tracks in RUSSKAJA‘s back catalogue, which definitely isn’t a bad thing. The closer is Turbopolka, which is easily one of the highlights on the album. The chant style chorus is just so infectious, with the melody nestling in your brain right after the first listen.
Overall, Turbo Polka Party is a real treat from start to finish. Even though there are some tracks that are more memorable than others, the album fillers are definitely worth a listen. The band successfully switch genres from their usual ska punk sound to include a wide variety of musical flavours including nu-metal and reggae. Aside from their amazingly infectious music, the band are also sending out such an important and vital message. They are even selling a No Borders themed t-shirt online, with all profits going towards helping Ukrainian refugees – such an incredibly powerful stance. RUSSKAJA are easily one of the most exciting and promising bands in the alternative music scene right now and everyone should give them a go.
Rating: 9/10
Turbo Polka Party is out now via Napalm Records.
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