London and NYC Club and Concert Listings
|
Album Review: Skalpel - Skalpel (Ninja Tune)
Reviewer: Monica Runke
Double delight - a new release from Ninja Tune is always good news, but when I saw the words “cheeky Polish jazz breaks” on
the press nearly skipped a beat. Hailing from Poland myself and having a record of Polish jazz lurking in my collection, I
was intrigued to hear more. I was not to be disappointed by break beatniks Skalpel and their eponymous debut album.
The dramatic rhythms of the conga on the opening track High set the vibrant, yet coolly-jazzy tone. The tracks are
all fairly short and this makes the album feel crisp and fresh like a well-honed set played in a smoky, louche venue.
There is a strong underlying pull of deep, resonating double bass which, when combined with brass and wind sections,
keyboards and sharp drumming are perfect for creating funky, yet spacey sounds. In fact on Sculpture a voice
announces in clipped BBC English “stereophonic sound sculptured in space”, which seems a succinctly apt description.
There’s a great range of tempos with the faster tracks like Quiz and So Far sounding like cheeky dance
numbers, going all the way down to the deeper, more abstract Asphodel and Theme. The slower tracks have a
globular, under-watery feel and the tinkling piano and flute melodies float beautifully into space. Some soundbites about
playing records and dancing all night give humour to the depth and there are lovely details, like the crackle of an old
record, which add to the texture and create the atmosphere.
Skalpel are Marcin Cichy and Igor Pudlo, DJs and producers as yet little known outside their native land. They take their
cue from the thriving and largely underground jazz scene of Poland in the 60s and 70s, using the music and vibes as
inspiration for their own well-crafted and expressive sound. One to watch - perhaps we could invite them over more often,
especially now that they won’t even need a visa!
RELATED LINKS:
Skalpel - offical website
Ninja Tune
Buy Skalpel's Skalpel at Amazon
UK
(CD)
| US (CD)
RELEASE DATE: Monday 19 April 2004
PUBLISHED: Sunday 9 May 2004
More Reviews
To send us music for potential inclusion, email us at
promos@knowtheledge.net
EMAIL UPDATES! Do you want to receive Know The Ledge update emails?
Click here to sign up!
|
::: RELATED LINKS
Skalpel - offical website
Ninja Tune
Buy Skalpel's Skalpel at Amazon
UK
(CD)
| US (CD)
More Reviews
|
