Voyvoda’s New Album ‘Autochthonous’: A Dive Into the Balkan’s Blood Feuds & Death

Amidst a world seemingly consumed by overwhelming negativity, and with Bulgaria facing its own set of political crises and despair over recent years, the potency of Voyvoda’s music resonates even more.

Hailing from Sofia, in the heart of the Balkans, this DIY post-punk ensemble has become synonymous with their own brand of cultural defiance. Their soundscape—a fusion of chilling, dark atmospherics, spirited punk zest, and a distinctive experimental edge—breaks free from stereotypical musical conventions, uniting diverse audiences in a shared experience.

Having released four riveting albums and five EPs, Voyvoda have crisscrossed Europe, performing alongside renowned figures from the punk and dark underground scene. Over time, they’ve crafted an unparalleled sound—melding Balkan folk and Orthodox musical traditions with the haunting vibes of post-punk, darkwave, ambient, and indie genres. Their craftsmanship has not gone unnoticed; albums like Iztok have made their mark, even catching the attention of goth and post-punk luminary Mick Mercer. Meanwhile, Aramia was lauded as one of the best Bulgarian punk albums of the last decade. And while 2020’s Confessions of a Macedonian Bandit , their most experimental and daring album to date, dove into the enigmatic and harrowing history of Macedonia, their brand new release, Autochthonous, heralds a return to the band’s raw, cynical post-punk ethos, enriched with the ever present dark folk undertones, disco rhythms, and the passionate authenticity of Voyvoda’s frontman Filip S. Filipov.

It’s with great anticipation that we debut Autochthonous at DIY Conspiracy and you read our conversation with Filip, the band’s ever temperamental singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Limited to 110 copies, Autochthonous is now available for pre-order on vinyl from Ugly And Proud Records & Balkan Sprachbund. Make sure you get a copy while you still can!

Autochthonous is an adjective that describes something that originated or formed in the place where it is found, especially in reference to the inhabitants of a place. What inspired the choice of Autochthonous as the title for this album?

Filip: It has floated around for a while, in the beginning it was inspired by the comical eternal Balkan national struggle of who has been here the longest and who has the biggest dibs on our forsaken peninsula and then after Putin’s aggression in Ukraine started I looked back on the history of conflicts during the past century and decided that I want to go back in time as well, preferably to the tribal times in the Balkans, when there were no empires, “homogenous” nation states and pan-slavism—just blood feuds and death.

While the lyrics of Autochthonous are predominantly in English, Voyvoda’s lyrics have often been deeply embedded in Balkan history, Orthodox Christianity, and personal family ties. How do you hope listeners, both from Bulgaria and globally, interpret and resonate with the theme of Autochthonous?

Filip: Sadly not much hope left for Orthodox Christianity and even less for the World. This time around the lyrics are not as inspired by history and family ties, but mostly by personal regrets, feelings, issues and current events that have been difficult to assimilate. Not sure how it would resonate with people, but it made me feel better trying to sing about it.

On your 2020 album Confessions of a Macedonian Bandit you wrote the song “Spiro Gulabcheff” about the grandfather of Bulgarian anarchism in the 19th century, whose writings were also a big influence on Voyvoda. What is the anarchist and rebel influence in Autochthonous?

Filip: I think the spirit of Spiro Gulabcheff is still present throughout the album, plus the first song is called “Siromahomil” and it includes the words of Mihail Gerdzhikov (as cited by his daughter Magda): “Мен не ме интересува бандерата, каквато искате сложете. Важното е да няма потисници! (I don’t care what banner is waving, you can wave whatever you like. What’s important is that there are no oppressors!)

Musically, the band has gone in a colder and more experimental direction with the last couple of records. Yet the new album sounds like a return to the more traditional punk and wave background of the early releases. Do you agree? Looking at the overall trajectory of Voyvoda, how does Autochthonous fit into the larger tapestry of your musical journey?

Filip: Yes, this is more of a punk/post-punk record. The signs of the endtimes around us kind of pushed us in this direction this time, but it still sounds just as bad as all the other things we have done and I think thus it fulfills the larger tapestry of our musical journey. 

Even when playing fast punk tunes, field recordings and lots of samples have always been part of Voyvoda’s music, creating a kind of cinematic experience. Can you talk about the process of integrating these different elements and the sense you’re trying to convey?

Filip: The samples and the field recordings were inspired by different industrial, black metal and hardcore bands I used to listen to as a kid and when I started Voyvoda I decided I wanted to use them as well in order to add a more personal local feel to the band and to try to mix traditional vibes together with the general post-punk, dark influences. When I lived in the US I also always wanted to buy a tambura, so when I came back to Bulgaria that was one of the first things I did and drove with my grandma to Yabŭlka (a village now part of Gabrovo), where I bought one from an old Bulgarian craftsman, Stefan Stefanov was his name and he was missing a couple of fingers.

Macedonia has always been a major theme and influence in Voyvoda’s music. Can you tell our international readers something about the current political situation in Bulgaria and its strained relations with the Republic of North Macedonia? Who benefits from stirring up tensions between the two countries?

Filip: Not really much to tell. The situation is painful for me and during the past couple of years I have tried to disassociate myself in every way possible and pretend to move forward and not think about it. It is sad to read through the progressive ideas of our ancestors, who were fighting for freedom and equality and then see how people and society have regressed nowadays. It is obvious to everyone who benefits, but at the moment it seems that the disease is terminal. Terminal spirit disease.

In the early 20th century, long before the Bolsheviks came to power, there was a strong idea among anarchist-leaning groups for a Balkan Federation. What do you think about this idea as a way to liberate the Balkans as a whole and get rid of nationalism and hatred?

Filip: I still think this was the best solution for the Balkans, sadly the self-centered nation states and the Great Powers didn’t allow it to take place and come to fruition in the peninsula when our societies were better mentally prepared for it. The idea of Yugoslavia to me was something different, still very ethno-centric, while pretending to be cosmopolitan. Hopefully after the new dark ages are over Balkan people would feel the need to go through a new enlightenment phase and succeed this time. But honestly, I think Autochthonous was us trying to stop dwelling on what could’ve been and just play, scream, jump and punch a small tiny hole in the abyss.

On your previous album Confessions of a Macedonian Bandit you had a song called “No Friends But The Mountains” which was inspired by the struggle of the Kurdish people. Do you think that the Kurdish idea of the ‘democratic nation’ is something that makes sense in the Balkans?

Filip: I used the title “No Friends But The Mountains”, the Kurdish proverb which symbolizes their struggle and went back in time and reapplied it to a folk song about the Ilinden uprising, because I thought it showed the clear connection between all people fighting oppression regardless of time, ethnicity, religion, etc. At the moment I am so confused about the growing darkness within me and around the world in general, that I am not really sure what makes sense and what will be the way forward for anyone. 

What are your favorite bands from the Balkans and what do you think is the best way to build a stronger connection between the DIY punk scenes in the region?

Filip: Meet, communicate, get to know each other, do shows, drink boza and cry together and things will be OK, at least in the punk scene, but it should always be an example. I really like the new Greek post-punk scene, especially Chain Cult (thanks for bringing them to Sofia) and Cold I from Athens. I still like the old Yugoslav Novi Val bands, especially the Rijeka scene. I love the old Macedonian darkwave bands which were a big influence. Manolis Chiotis, Vaska Ilieva and ’60-’70s Emil Dimitrov, which is a constant. From the Bulgarian bands: Melekh (eternal love for Boro), Outrage, Feedbacker, ТДК, Mental Architects, everything with Angel S. and Stefan V. F.

Although Voyvoda plays post-punk with a lot of experimental elements, you’ve always had strong ties to the hardcore and straight edge scene. What do you feel about that scene today? Do you like its development?

Filip: Looking back I think the Florida Straight Edge hardcore scene had the most profound effect on me as a kid and I am grateful that I had the chance to meet the right people as a teen. Even though I was always a little bit of a gloomy outsider and not really straight edge, they showed me what DIY really means and how to stick up for your ideals and I love them for it. I still sympathize and support the scene when I can. Last two Voyvoda records were released on a straight edge hardcore label, run by a nice straight edge fella from Belene. Music-wise I don’t follow as much now and I can’t really judge its development, but right now I am stoked that As Friends Rust are back together and hope I get to see them somewhere.

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