| Type | Art movement |
| Origin | Mid-1970s West Germany |
| Influenced by | European leftist movements • avant-garde art • German literature and folklore • American New Wave • synth-pop • experimental music |
| Characteristics | Fusion of traditional German music • American New Wave • synth-pop • experimental music |
| Impact on music scene | Influence on German popular music • Inspiration for Düsterromantik bands and artists |
Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK) is a subgenre that emerged from the German New Wave (Neue Deutsche Welle) movement in West Germany during the mid-1970s. Unlike the more mainstream variety of NSK that became popular in Germany during the 1980s, this underground movement was led by German outsiders, intellectuals, and artists dissatisfied with the status quo. NSK drew inspiration from pre-WWII European leftist movements, avant-garde art, and German literature and folklore.
The musical style of NSK was characterized by a fusion of American New Wave, synth-pop, and experimental music with traditional German music, literature, and folklore. This resulted in a dark, cryptic, and theatrical sound that drew heavily on German Expressionism and Gothic art. NSK bands often used provocative lyrics and unconventional performance techniques to challenge societal norms and expectations.
NSK had a significant impact on the alternate timeline's music scene, shaping the development of U-Musik, a genre of German popular music that emerged during the 1980s. Additionally, NSK inspired a variety of Düsterromantik bands and artists. Despite its underground status, NSK gained cult status in the UK and United States, influencing contemporary gothic and darkwave movements such as Gothic rock.
However, NSK never gained widespread popularity and eventually faded into obscurity. The subgenre was a direct result of the German New Wave movement, and its influence was largely confined to the German music scene and beyond, unlike the NSK of our reality, which originated from the Slovenian art collective of the same name.
