Clash of Civilizations

A fascinating multicultural project, Clash of Civilizations not only puts musical traditions in a blender, but also sprinkles in those often taboo subjects, religion and politics. Boston-based composers Milan Kovacek (aka Hip Son) and Nikola Radan both hail from Serbia, a land that has suffered more than its share of clashes. They explain:

For centuries, a harmful myth has been perpetuated that we live in a divided world, that there are fundamental differences between races, cultures, and civilizations, and that this divide can only be bridged by military, economic, or cultural domination. The Clash of Civilizations collective represents one effort to challenge this myth by illustrating the common musical bonds found within all cultures.

Their album Counter Propaganda opens with "Declaration of Independence," blending beats with a recitation of portions of the historic American document and the powerful refrain of the traditional Black gospel song "Job:" "God giveth / God taketh / Blessed be the name of the Lord." Clash of Civilizations are willing to take on controversy and injustice wherever they see it. "Les Cities" is about the housing projects in Paris that house many Arabs and Muslims from former French colonies in North Africa. "Hiroshima" includes selectinos from President Truman's radio address following the bombing of the Japanese city along with traditional Japanese Imperial Palace music recorded during World War Two. And the title track lays the blame for cultural clashes squarely on the shoulders of our rulers:

Yet still, we are divided,
it's the clash of civilizations
controlled (of course) by governments' operations.

Leaders of this world defuse your speech,
listen to the song of the crowd
singing Love out loud.

Clash of Civilizations don't tar all leaders with this brush; they gained recognition in 2008 for recording a song called "Change in America" and subsequently donating it to the Obama campaign.

One of my early favorites is the song "Hagia Sophia," with lyrics that include the Trisagion ("Thrice Holy") considered one of the oldest prayers in Christianity and audio samples of an imam chanting from a mosque in Istanbul/Constantinople, a place Christians and Muslims worshiped and fought over. The song is embellished by elements of both Byzantine chanting and Middle Eastern instruments.

Though their loud, electronic-infused, often-brash music is pretty far removed from the rootsy songs we general prefer, Clash of Civilizations' social and political mission, and their clarity about where their songs come from make this a fascinating album full of searing hope and fierce optimism.

by S A Stevens - soundroots.org

Breathing fresh life into the increasingly moribund corpse of the global dance genre, this debut EP from Boston-based composers/producers/multi-instrumentalists Milan Kovacev and Nikola Radan features an imaginative combination of live instruments, beats and samples, self-consciously combining genres and cultures to create something that's closer to sound collage than the usual mindless party soundtrack. A couple of pieces feature samples of former US presidents and others combine Christian and Muslim musical traditions, making a point about potential for global harmony along the way. If this all sounds too wholesome and high falutin' for its own good, then it's also worth noting that there's a lot of infectious fun to be had here.

The CoC sound rocks rather then swings, but it rocks mightily well. The opening Hagia Sophia celebrates Instanbul (that most culturally mixed up of cities) with a catchy saz riff and crunching beats; Metamorphosis is based on a melody composed by a 17th century Protestant composer who converted to Islam, and the closing Hiroshima combines samples of a speech by President Truman with Japanese music recorded during the Second World War. Powerful stuff and with only a 22-minute running time, one of those rare releases that you want to hear more.

By Jamie Renton - fRoots Magazine UK

Revolutionary. That’s the best way to describe the music and mission of this eclectic Boston collective. Headed by Serbian natives Milan Kovacev and Nikola Radan, Clash of Civilizations blends an encyclopedic knowledge of world music with a rebellious knack for challenging conventions.

Counter Propanganda, Clash’s debut release, is a collage of traditional West African music, Middle Eastern folk, American gospel (and other sacred musics) and progressive techno. Most tracks could be classified as protest songs – decrying racism, human rights violations, war – and many feature excerpts from historical speeches (from Truman, Ford, JFK, Carter and Reagan).

Kovacev and Radan, and a host of musical collaborators from Boston and New York, are clearly aiming for a bridge of musical styles that underscores a key theme: Music is a universal language that speaks to the human condition. Like the Afro-Celt System, Clash of Civilizations creates a strangely beautiful mix of styles that is wholly unexpected, transcendent and lovely.

The duo seamless stitches together traditional Ghanan music and gospel (“Declaration of Independence”), house music and 18th century Christian hymns (“Metamorphosis”), Persian sacred music and Turkish Islamic texts (“Les Cites”), and Serbian and Albanian folk (“Heavy Duty”).

In less-skilled hands, this project could have devolved into a silly hodge-podge of pretentious protest prog. But Kovacev and Radan manage to deliver an enchanting and sophisticated exploration of the possibilities of world beat music that offers soul-deep satisfaction. Well done, gentlemen.


by Nick Tate - Progression Magazine