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Writer's pictureSylvain Lupari

PIOTR KRUPSKI & FRIENDS: Electronic Worlds (2017)

“Electronic Worlds is an amazing surprise, ideal for those who misses these psychotronic and audacious years of the analog EM”

1 When Mother Earth was Born 12:44 2 Racing Thoughts 6:09 3 Stellar Journey 5:34 4 Tales of the Electron Tube 2:35 5 Across Land and Oceans 10:32 6 The Gardens of Eden 4:57 7 Sunset in Manakara 5:40 8 The Riddles of Life and Death 15:08 9 Heart and Soul 5:00 Generator.pl ‎| GEN CD 042

(CD 68:18) (V.F.)

(Progressive and psychotronic EM) A switch ignites and When Mother Earth was Born settles down comfortably between our ears with floating waves where from are born ambient noises, even that some of them get transformed into parallel lines. A stride of synth waves decorates a firmament of sibylline atmospheres, courtesy of Wladyslaw Komendarek and Andrzej Mierzynski who are members of this group of 8 friends of Piotr Krupski and whose various talents adorn the sound decoration more than astonishing of ELECTRONIC WORLDS. A line of sequences escapes from this psychotronique phase. Its loops of rhythm in series are skipping such as the fragile dance steps of a little girl having a walk in a wood encircled of a soundscape as intimidating as attractive. Another line of percussive sequences, like a nervous bongo drums, skip in parallel of the main movement which shines now with a renewed vigor a few seconds later when When Mother Earth was Born reaches its paroxysm with bongo drums which burst out under the unstable layers of an organ which allies the progressive rock and the cosmic EM of the very avant-gardist Poland School genre. The storm calms down with oscillating waves which go and come to feed the symphonic heaviness of Racing Thoughts. Heavy, this movement is constantly tugged between the good variations of these oscillating lines and solos which rage in a panorama drenched of a rich and stifling sound fauna. And it's the first stop of ELECTRONIC WORLDS, the last find of the Polish label Generator pl. which combines not less than 9 icons of the very progressive EM of the Poland School. Although new to my ears, Piotr Krupski possesses a solid CV on the Polish artistic scene. Son of a famous cymbalist, Krupski has made some albums in the early 2000's besides participating in several artistic projects. He makes a comeback here with a very solid opus to which we enjoy as much the ears free, as with earphones. I prefer, and by far, this last alternative. In facts, this album is this kind of totally unsuspected thing which hits you by surprise, so much there is abundantly of good stuffs to be heard!

Stellar Journey pursues this odyssey with a storm of oscillating waves which crumble some of its sharp particles. In spite of the strength of the impulses of this blizzard, the movement stays of nebulous moods with a strong volley of sound effects and mislaid percussions which try in vain to shake this mass of lines sometimes dark and other times ethereal. Tales of the Electron Tube ties to the finale of Stellar Journey with a less stormy ambience but with a shower of solos which just doesn't cease to charm. Across Land and Oceans reminds me a lot the tribal and ambient music of Shane Morris & Mystified but with more intensity in the soundscapes. That says it all! The Gardens of Eden flows of this wall of sounds with a beautiful melodious approach which shines of gorgeous solos over a bed of dark waves. The intensity reaches new dimensions here and with Sunset in Manakara and these other numerous solos which pitches us in the analog era of EM. The Riddles of Life and Death is the big jewel of ELECTRONIC WORLDS with its convoluted structure where a fascinating pattern of sequences makes crawl its keys like a plethora of millipedes fleeing a profusion of predators. This organic rhythm has difficulty in walking on the imperfections of a rough ground beneath an avalanche of effects and of distorted synth solos. It's the kind of title of which we discover its charms a listening after another listening. Heart and Soul ends a surprising album with a small light at the end of the darkness. The music always stays floating and ambiospherical with this mixture of darkness and twilight which gives so much depth to an album worthy of the big albums from the experimental years of EM. A territory that few explores, to say the least in a so big commercial proportion, and that Piotr Krupski & Friends revisits with a great deal of dexterity. To be honest, it's not the kind of album which goes along with unadventurous ears. On the other hand, the audacious ones will be fill up with charms and surprises here. A good big 4 stars for the creativity! Sylvain Lupari (July 1st, 2017) *****

Available at Generator pl

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