I don't think there's been a thread on this yet (no search doesn't help) although I think these guys have been briefly discussed here and there on other threads (metal? albums of the year?).
Anyway, I've just started listening to this stuff - after repeatedly seeing them being mentioned on The Quietus and on the strength of a few samples bought the last Stara Rzeka album on Bandcamp on Fri. They - and the other associated bands - have more or less instantly become a new musical infatuation. Hitting all the right notes of metal, drone, jazz and folk for me, sometimes all at once.
Anyone else into this? Have any other recommendations for similar bands/labels for someone who has just dipped his toe into this world...? Would love to hear more like it!
https://stararzeka.bandcamp.com/https://instantclassic.bandcamp.com/music
― Federico Boswarlos, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 01:51 (six months ago) Permalink
Popular band among the ilm metal fans here. Theyve made the yearly metal poll countdown before.
as have quite a few Polish metal bands
― Odysseus, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 02:09 (six months ago) Permalink
you can see the previous results here Previous Metal Poll EOY Results Thread
― Odysseus, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 02:14 (six months ago) Permalink
actually that might just link to the 2016 results so open the whole thing. I forget which years they placed
drugs a money will excitedly help you out btw
― Odysseus, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 02:16 (six months ago) Permalink
I spent a decent amount of money to fly to Poland to pick up the CD.
Actually, I had them fly the CD to me from Poland. Still, one of the more expensive CD purchases I made.
Also worth it.
― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Tuesday, 7 February 2017 03:05 (six months ago) Permalink
I really loved the Alameda 5 album, Duch Tornada--released concurrently with the second Stara Rzeka album--which draws a lot from the electronics side of SR's sound, but sculpts into a sort of Dali-esque space rock.
Stream here: https://instantclassic.bandcamp.com/album/duch-tornada
― gaznevada coombes (Drugs A. Money), Tuesday, 7 February 2017 05:09 (six months ago) Permalink
It's weird, I absolutely love Stara Rzeka but the Alameda 3/5 and other related stuff I've heard hasn't done a great deal for me. I'll try again some day
― ultros ultros-ghali, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 15:14 (six months ago) Permalink
think it may have placed in the normal 2015 album poll
― nxd, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 15:15 (six months ago) Permalink
ah yeh ILM's Top 77 Albums of 2015
― nxd, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 15:17 (six months ago) Permalink
Sanpaku should post here too, hopefully: there was a lot of Instant Classic on that poster's albums ballot this year
― gaznevada coombes (Drugs A. Money), Tuesday, 7 February 2017 16:23 (six months ago) Permalink
Cool, going to dig into that metal EOY list, thanks for sharing. Need to give more of those bands on Instant Classic a listen to, too. Will give Alameda 5 a try, any other recommendations would be very welcome :)
― Federico Boswarlos, Tuesday, 7 February 2017 17:04 (six months ago) Permalink
Also may be of interest - I just discovered Waclaw Zimpel, a clarinetist who travels in similar circles and I believe tours with Stara Rzeka.
Moody, ambient jazz and keyboard soundscapes - reminds me of Emeralds (and Steve Hauschildt + Mark McGuire's solo work as well), among others.
Check his new(ish?) album
https://waclawzimpel.bandcamp.com/album/lines
― Federico Boswarlos, Thursday, 9 February 2017 17:21 (six months ago) Permalink
Zimpel also responsible for this one https://waclawzimpel.bandcamp.com/album/lam (both are worth your time)
― Dinsdale, Thursday, 9 February 2017 18:08 (six months ago) Permalink
Co-sign that Waclaw Zimpel record (Lines) - very good indeed. Casting around for comparisons; probably closest to Colin Stetson, the Necks and maybe Dawn of Midi.
― The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums (Chinaski), Thursday, 9 February 2017 20:29 (six months ago) Permalink
Wow, Zimpel is right up my alley, thanks. (Stara Rzeka obv awesome.)
― My Body's Made of Crushed Little Evening Stars (Sund4r), Friday, 10 February 2017 02:49 (six months ago) Permalink
Cool, I'll check his other album out, too! Yes, Colin Stetson and Necks seem to be good points of comparison (don't know Dawn of Midi but will give 'em a listen).
Enjoying Alameda 5 too. I think I've probably got an order from Instant Classic coming up in my immediate future.
― Federico Boswarlos, Friday, 10 February 2017 14:31 (six months ago) Permalink
Here's another release from Zimpel:
Saagara - 2
― Dinsdale, Sunday, 19 March 2017 22:21 (five months ago) Permalink
love stara rzeka, but as the project is done (i think?) and remained rather obscure, i can't imagine this thread will see much activity going fwd.
in the interest of expanding towards "polish underground" in general, i'll mention duszę wypuścił (bandcamp), a band i heard for the first time the other day. more punk primitive and rock-based than stara rzeka, but similar in their mixture of black metal, polish folk and art music of various sorts. ultimately quite different in that post punk and gothic elements frequently dominate, dotted with noise, drone & concrete interludes suggesting 70s industrial. and one of the two main vocalists has a great siouxsie thing going.
unfortunately, like stara rzeka, they're already gone. they changed their name to wędrowcy tułacze zbiegi (bandcamp) c 2013, in the process losing the female vocalist who brought so much character and energy to their recordings as duszę wypuścił. and whose name i can't find anywhere on the dang internet :/
― The sandwiches looked quite dank. (contenderizer), Monday, 20 March 2017 04:40 (five months ago) Permalink
Saagara 2 is fab. Stara Rzeka continues as a live 'act' but I live in hope that Kuba will record another LP under this banner.
― Doran, Monday, 20 March 2017 21:17 (five months ago) Permalink
Cool, I'll definitely check out the new Zimpel - also duszę wypuścił sound good (from what I've just listened on their bandcamp) and I'm in agreement on their first vocalist. I'm finding the more recent stuff is harder to get into.
Doran, if you're John Doran of the Quietus, I must give you massive thanks - I don't know if I ever would have come across any of this stuff if it weren't for your site. Keep up the great work, mate!
― Federico Boswarlos, Monday, 20 March 2017 22:19 (five months ago) Permalink
Ah, a pleasure, thanks!
― Doran, Tuesday, 21 March 2017 23:58 (five months ago) Permalink
"The Luminous Guitar Craft of Alameda Duo" is the newest incarnation of Alameda collective. This time Jakub Ziołek and Mikołaj Zieliński present their unique and acoustic view on Greek musical tradition and American Primitivism. "I need to admit that it was Rafał Iwański (X-Navi:et, Innercity Ensemble, Alameda 5) who can be called a godfather of this project. That's mainly due to him bringing me a cassette version of Christodoulos Halaris' album 'Music of Ancient Greece' that I instantly fell in love with," says Ziołek. "It inspired me to create sounds indebted to ancient Greek music - this meaning rhythms and their influence on melodies, repetitions, extending far beyond what we got used to. After some time though, new parts and inspirations came into view and I had to modify my previous assumptions," he adds. "Robbie Basho was also inspired by Greek music so you will be able to spot some American Primitivism on Alameda Duo's album. But that's not so much due to fingerpicking but more thanks to a way our compositions create this characteristic atmosphere. Aside from acoustic guitars, we decided to use also a classical Greek-Turkish bouzouki," Ziołek explains. Recording session of "The Luminous Guitar Craft of Alameda Duo" took place in the Evangelical-Augsburg church in Alameda's home town of Bydgoszcz, a place of outstanding acoustics. "During the day there's a lot of noise generated by cars passing through the street so we decided to record at night. We wrapped up the sessions at around 6AM and I need to admit that this was an interesting experience that took its toll on the songs," Ziołek recalls. see less
Releases August 31, 2017 Recording: Jachu Czado Mix: Jakub Ziołek Mastering: Marcin Bociński Cover art: Magdalena Syboń Mikołaj Zieliński - 12string acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, EHX Superego, lyrics Jakub Ziołek - 6string acoustic guitar, zither, boss DD6, vocals #almedaduo #kubaziolek#instantclassic #americanprimitive #acoustic#greekmusic #folk
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXoA8NKj7cy/
― the underground is pass-agg (Drugs A. Money), Thursday, 10 August 2017 21:11 (two weeks ago) Permalink
that halaris album slays. good sign
― reggie (qualmsley), Thursday, 10 August 2017 21:21 (two weeks ago) Permalink
Oh, this is great.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucBWdwp-XEY
― Doran, Thursday, 10 August 2017 22:47 (two weeks ago) Permalink
Yeahhhhhhhhh that sounds amazing
― the underground is pass-agg (Drugs A. Money), Friday, 11 August 2017 05:25 (one week ago) Permalink
That's lovely. Sounds oddly like what you might get if you left bowls behind Big Star amps and collected what leaked out overnight.
― The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums (Chinaski), Friday, 11 August 2017 19:50 (one week ago) Permalink
I just tried to click like on the above post. I must be tired. The Zimpel/Ziolek album keeps on getting put back and put back. I have no idea why. Here's the lead track from earlier this year if anyone missed it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjUXGWgTGcY
― Doran, Saturday, 12 August 2017 14:26 (one week ago) Permalink