Wòjna (Owczarek album)

Untitled

Wòjna (Lec: "War") is the fourth studio album by Lecistani rapper Owczarek. The album was released on August 23, 2016 by Owczarek's Nikòtina Recording Studios. While Owczarek had been intending to take a longer break between publishing Trzecy and starting another album, growing political unrest within Lecistan inspired him to write the songs that would eventually become Wòjna.

The album was composed mostly during the Second Lecistani Civil War, and as a result, most of the songs deal with politics or military conflict, topics not covered in Owczarek's previous albums. The album also contains two songs in languages other than Lec: "Fuck the Sellouts", which is in English, and "Elorantahymni", which is in Nevan. The album art is based on the Kùmiéga flag, used by the short-lived State of Lecistan during the Kùmiéga Revolution.

The album was highly anticipated within Lecistan due to the popularity of several singles released beforehand, most notably "Fuck the Sellouts", which gained international fame following its use by pro-Solidarity protesters in civil unrest before Lecistan's October 2015 general elections. The album and its singles, which topped the charts in Lecistan, gave Owczarek widespread domestic and international recognition.

Background

Main articles: Lecistani general election, July 2015; Lecistani general election, October 2015; and Second Lecistani Civil War

Recording

The first song to be recorded was "Fuck the Sellouts"; the last to be recorded was "Piesniô dlô Traktat Szimóngôcz". Because the songs were recorded at various points throughout the Second Lecistani Civil War, and because circumstances frequently changed during the course of the conflict, some songs addressed individuals and factions that were no longer active in the conflict, or situations that were no longer possible outcomes, by the time they were released. For example, by the time that "Wòjna Dómowa"- a song criticizing the Shock Troops, a national socialist paramilitary group- was released, the Shock Troops had been disbanded and disarmed.

Themes

Wòjna deals heavily with themes of political repression, military conflict, and violent revolution, inspired by the events of the July and October 2015 general elections and the Second Lecistani Civil War. Every song on the album is explicitly political, with most attacking the leadership of the Grand Duchy of Lecistan, Lec Social Republic, Nevan Realm, and Greater Teutonic Reich.

Owczarek, speaking to Rally for Lecistani Sovereignty party newspaper Trzëfarwa, said that his motivation behind creating the album was "a deep concern for Lecistan's future- if we would become a Nevan colony, or remain a sovereign nation." The first song to be written, "Fuck the Sellouts", was not originally written with the intent of becoming part of the album; Owczarek intended it to be a one-off protest song attacking Tobéasz Dunôjski and Wicus Wilczewski for "selling out" Lecistan to Nevan monarch Juhani III and Teutonian autocrat Friedrich Ulrich. Continuing political unrest, however, inspired him to write more songs. "The path that Lecistan was taking pissed me off- we'd been run by reactionaries and autocrats for decades," he stated, "and it seemed that, somehow, we were moving towards a more reactionary and more autocratic government than we'd ever had before." He noted that, in Lecistan, voting remained a privilege for wealthy males, and civil and political rights were widely disregarded by the Grand Duchy. "In Solidarity, I saw the best chance for progress in this country in at least a century, but Nevanmaa and the Grand Duchy seemed determined to silence them at every turn," he said. "I felt like I had to say something about that repression, to speak out against it in the hopes that I could help motivate people to fight against it."

Composition

Music

Wòjna, like Owczarek's other albums, is characterized by the anger, aggression, and confrontation of hardcore hip hop and rap.

Several songs, including Eläköön armias, Nouse Nevanmaa, Och Lekkëbë, Chléb ë Mòdrôkë, the Nevanhymni, and the Piesniô Lekkëbã, are sampled throughout the album.

Lyrics

While there is no coherent story to Wòjna, most of the songs cover different facets of the Second Lecistani Civil War and the nations participating in it. In this sense, they form a quasi-coherent narrative consisting of Owczarek's criticisms of the various individuals and factions participating in the conflict.

The song that was later described by Owczarek as summarizing the album, and the first song from the album to be written and released, is "Fuck the Sellouts". "Fuck the Sellouts" is the third album on the track, but was written "at least a week or two" before any of the other songs on Wòjna. The song does not specifically criticize a single person or group, but is instead a general attack on Tobéasz Dunôjski, Wicus Wilczewski, and all others who would "dare to cede our father's land", as well as their foreign allies. In the song, Ocwzarek urges the people of Lecistan to rise up in protest and force the "sellouts" to step aside, describing those who "hate the occupation but don't resist" as "insane or mad". He also calls for the creation of a new, democratic government that would respect the rights and liberties of the Lecistani people and protect their independence. The song's lyrics are written in English; according to Owczarek, this was because several of the verses "flowed better in English than in Lec".

Later songs, by contrast, have more specific targets. The first song on the album, "Rujan" ("October"), is by-and-large an attack on former Lecistani president Jean-Marc Salérin and Nevan king Juhani III Kaarenmaa-Hennala for their role in the rigging of the October 2015 general elections in Lecistan. Owczarek attacks Salérin and Juhani for their usage of martial law and mass imprisonment to prevent opposition supporters from voting; he describes them as "small men acting big", accusing them of committing acts of brutality to cover up personal flaws and insecurities. Owczarek focuses exclusively on Juhani in the album's sixteenth song, "Tyrônta Niewansczi" ("Nevan Tyrant"); addressing the Nevan royal, Owczarek calls him "a fossil" and "a relic", and demands that he "get the fuck out of Lecistan". In the track "Nôródowi Przëpôpka" ("National Unity"), he attacks the National Unity Camp as "collaborators", and mocks the coalition's name, noting that the National Unity Camp fractured less than a month after its creation.

The fourth song on the album, "Zdrada" ("Betrayal") is an attack on Lecistani policemen and soldiers serving the Grand Duchy. Owczarek accuses them of failing in their duty to serve and protect the people, saying that "the people you're supposed to save/are dead and rotting in your chains". Three of the songs on the album- "Pôlëwac Lekkëbë" ("Burning Lecistan"), "Smierc dlô Ricérzów" ("The Dead of Ricérzów"), and "Rzëszù Czerwòny" ("Red Rzëszù")- explicitly attack the Royal Nevan Armed Forces for their indiscriminate tactics during the Second Lecistani Civil War, which killed as many as 55,000 Lecistani civilians, wounded 80,000 more, and drove 75,000 more into internal displacement or exile. Rolf Tuura, a prominent commander of the Royal Nevan Armed Forces, is explicitly attacked in "Rzëszù Czerwòny" as "a vulture circling overhead, waiting for the kill".

In some songs, Owczarek raps from the perspective of another individual. In the song "Skazany" ("Convicted"), he sings from the perspective of a political prisoner who was imprisoned for demonstrating against the detainment of opposition politicians, and who has been sent to a jail in Nevanmaa even though he is Lecistani. The prisoner- who is left nameless- describes being repeatedly beaten and tortured, but sardonically notes that he at least doesn't notice when the guards intentionally starve him, as he is on hunger strike. Later, in "Wòjna Dómowa" ("Civil War"), he sings from the perspective of a gleefully murderous member of the Shock Troops, the paramilitary force of the National Socialist People's Community for Lecistani Revivalism, as he drags Jews, ethnic Francilians, ethnic Filimen, and leftists out of their houses and murders them and their families in the street. In the album's fifteenth song, "Anarchja" ("Anarchy"), he mocks pro-monarchist news sources in Lecistan and Nevanmaa by describing largely unremarkable events in more democratic countries- such as Namor, Luziyca, Vjaarland, and Ainin- as signs of moral degradation and mass disorder, speaking in a hysterical, sensationalist tone.

Four songs- "Jô Biôtkòwac" ("I Fight"), "Rewòlucjô" ("Revolution"), "Odpùscënk" ("Absolution"), and "Trzëfarwa" ("Tricolor")- praise the Second Lecistani Republic and its supporters. In "Rewòlucjô", Owczarek lauds the Second Lecistani Republic for its plans to protect civil and political rights in Lecistan, calling it "the greatest revolution Lecistan will ever know"; in "Odpùscënk", meanwhile, he describes the Lecistani Republican Armed Forces as absolving Lecistan of the sins of decades of reactionary and authoritarian politics. In "Jô Biôtkòwac" and "Trzëfarwa", he expresses solidarity with protesters demonstrating against the Grand Duchy and Social Republic, lauding them as "the heroes of a nation, cut from its cloth". "Jak Ma Pôdac" ("As We Fall"), by contrast, describes a hypothetical scenario in which the Grand Duchy wins; Owczarek, singing from the persective of a republican soldier being held in a POW camp, describes mass public executions, the suspension of Lecistani self-government, and absolute rule of Lecistan from Nevanlinna; the song ends with the singer's execution by firing squad.

The songs "Elorantahymni" ("Hymn to Eloranta") and "Klôsztorny (Dlô Kùmiéga)" ("The Cloister (For Kùmiéga)") are tributes to individual persons. "Elorantahymni" is a tribute to Nevan revolutionary Heikki Eloranta, who Owczarek lauds as "the last sane Nevan"; he mourns the defeat of the Red Rebellion by the Nevan monarchy, saying that "half Esquarium would be better off" if Eloranta had won the civil war. The song's lyrics are written in Nevan; Owczarek learned the language while in school, and while he initially wrote the lyrics to the song in Lec, he decided to rewrite them in Nevan "because it seemed fitting". "Klôsztorny (Dlô Kùmiéga)", meanwhile, is a tribute to Lecistani nationalist and composer Andrzéj Kùmiéga. The title of the song is a reference to Kùmiéga's opera The Cloister; in his song, Owczarek says that Kùmiéga ought to be a celebrated national hero for his devotion to the cause of Lecistani independence, but that he has been "cloistered away by the powers that be" for his leftist political leanings. Owczarek also makes favorable references to Lecistani communist revolutionary Szimón Kãszobùski and syndicalist revolutionary Włodòmierz Błaskowski, who rebelled against future grand duke Krësztof Òłówski during the First Lecistani Civil War.

The final song of the album, "Piesniô dlô Traktat Szimóngôcz" ("Song of the Treaty of Szimóngôcz"), is unique in that it criticizes the Solidarity Alliance, who are widely praised throughout much of the rest of the album. Speaking to Solidarity leader and Lecistani president Łukôsz Grzéskowicz, Owczarek maintains that Grzéskowicz has made "a deal with the devil" by signing the Treaty of Szimóngôcz, which ended the Second Lecistani Civil War. He concedes that the treaty did make significant process in improving Lecistan's social and political situations- extending the vote to all persons over the age of 21, and reducing the Grand Ducal title to effective powerlessness- but maintains that this progress is not safe so long as Nevanmaa has any power in or over Lecistan. Owczarek says that he "[doesn't] consider [Grzéskowicz] a sellout", but warns him to be vigilant for any attempts by Nevanmaa to "turn back the clock" and reminds him of his duty to the people and nation of Lecistan.

Artwork

Wòjna's album art is based on the Kùmiéga flag, used by the short-lived State of Lecistan during the Kùmiéga Revolution. The name of the album and Owczarek's name take the place of the State of Lecistan's motto. The Kùmiéga flag also served as the inspiration for the party flag of the Rally for Lecistani Sovereignty, but Owczarek has stated that he made the decision to use the tricolor pattern based on its connection to the State of Lecistan, and not on its connection to the Rally.

Release and reception

Commercial performance

Wòjna was highly anticipated in Lecistan and sold very highly following its release.

Lèse-majesté controversy

Shortly after the album was released, Owczarek was charged with lese majeste for allegedly insulting former Grand Duke Juchany I, the monarchy of Lecistan, and the monarchy of Nevanmaa. While the punishments for lese majeste were significantly reduced by the Treaty of Szimóngôcz, it was not abolished; under post-Treaty Lecistani law, those accused and found guilty of lese majeste could face up to five years in prison and a fine not to exceed Lƒ5,000. Specifically named in the information were the tracks "Rujan", "Fuck the Sellouts", "Elorantahymni", "Klôsztorny (Dlô Kùmiéga)", and "Tyrônta Niewansczi". Owczarek plead not guilty to the charges, saying he had "simply spoken his mind".

On September 1, 2016, Owczarek was found guilty of lese majeste and sentenced to a week in prison and a fine of Lƒ5,000. No action, however, was made to take Wòjna or any of the tracks on it out of circulation, with the judge stating that he "could not find a legal justification under post-Treaty Lecistani law" to take such action. The fine was ultimately paid by Queen Elis I of Katranjiev.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Rujan"	Włodòmierz Strzébny	Strzébny, Michôł Łukôszewicz	2:29
2.	"Pôlëwac Lekkëbë"	Strzébny	Strzébny, Łukôszewicz	2:38
3.	"Fuck the Sellouts"	Strzébny	Strzébny	6:18
4.	"Zdrada"	Strzébny, Kôrol Andrzéjski	Strzébny, Łukôszewicz	3:18
5.	"Elorantahymni"	Strzébny	Strzébny, Łukôszewicz	5:53
6.	"Skazany"	Strzébny, Andrzéjski, Jerzy Szagórski	Strzébny, Zenón Szatlowski	3:46
7.	"Jô Biôtkòwac"	Strzébny, Andrzéjski	Strzébny, Szatlowski	2:18
8.	"Wòjna Dómowa"	Strzébny, Andrzéjski, Szagórski	Łukôszewicz, Szatlowski	4:29
9.	"Rewòlucjô"	Strzébny	Strzébny, Szatlowski	3:12
10.	"Odpùscënk"	Strzébny, Andrzéjski	Strzébny	1:43
11.	"Smierc dlô Ricérzów"	Strzébny, Szagórski	Łukôszewicz	4:47
12.	"Klôsztorny (Dlô Kùmiéga)"	Strzébny	Łukôszewicz, Szatlowski	3:02
13.	"Nôródowi Przëpôpka"	Strzébny, Andrzéjski	Szatlowski	3:24
14.	"Jak Ma Pôdac"	Strzébny	Łukôszewicz, Szatlowski, Szagórski	3:00
15.	"Anarchja"	Strzébny	Strzébny, Łukôszewicz, Szatlowski	4:43
16.	"Tyrônta Niewansczi"	Strzébny	Łukôszewicz, Szatlowski	2:17
17.	"Trzëfarwa"	Strzébny, Andrzéjski	Strzébny	3:48
18.	"Rzëszù Czerwòny"	Strzébny, Szagórski	Strzébny, Szatlowski	3:26
19.	"Piesniô dlô Traktat Szimóngôcz"	Strzébny	Strzébny, Łukôszewicz, Szatlowski	7:08
Total length:				62:07