Avtomat’s industrial EP Doolska reinvents Poland’s prom night sounds

Who? EP Doolska was created by Avtomat, a stalwart of Warsaw’s electronic scene, and produced by 51-53, a London queer-focused label launched in 2020.

What? Doolska transforms songs best-known for accompanying Polish prom nights into controlled industrial sounds, alternating between light, drop-like notes, and heavy bangs. The album’s title and first track reference Mrs Dulska, a morose landlady who serves as protagonist in the 1906 Polish play The Morality of Mrs Dulska by Gabriela Zapolska. The other two tracks on the EP include “Dzwoni Doopsko” (or “The ass is ringing”) and “Doomny Polonez” — named after a Polish song played at teen dances, as well as a 1980s car.

What they say: “This EP is, again, a bit conceptual,” says Avtomat. “I zoomed out of the picture of what it means to be any kind of different in Poland and tried to compress it into this one, emblematic character, symbolising all the bigotry, hatred and sloppiness of the Polish right-wing, perpetuated by their hypocrisy and need to police everybody according to their own beliefs”.

“All the tracks have an almost grime-like quality, emblematic of the label’s home city and a sound typically unassociated with the queer community,” the producers 51-53 say. “The EP is a protest to Poland’s religious hypocrisy and often negative treatment of the LGBTQ+ community, action for which Avtomat has been attacked, denigrated and even locked up for.”

Why you need to listen: Whether you want to dance, focus, or simply enjoy the discovery of new music, Doolska has got you covered: with its lively rhythms, brittle machine-like sounds, and a story to tell, this EP will take you on a mental journey across time and space.

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