Jacaszek: Treny (Miasmah CD/digital)
Michal Jacaszek is a Polish musician who skirts the line between soundtrack composer and ambient experimentalist. On his site, his sort of mission statement is as follows: "My music is an ambitious plan: I want to create my own, personal and recognizable musical language, in which electronic manipulation of recorded sound is going to enrich traditional acoustic instruments. The motivation of these experiments is discovering the hidden and universal beauty."
What this translates to is a combination of acoustic instruments and electronic treatments, interwoven into a tapestry of gloomy, gliding sound. Strings and piano feature prominently here, but in many instances these instruments have been recorded, sampled, edited and manipulated to sound clipped, disembodied or otherwise estranged from reality. A popular technique that Jacaszek employs here is editing out the start of a sound (bowed or struck) but including the sustain or decay of the tone. There are also more deliberate, more straightforward passages of performed music here that complement this editing. Jacaszek is working here with an ensemble of players and performers, and the range of sounds they generate is lush and broad.
One notable comparison I'd make in hearing Treny is the music of Mexican producer Murcof. Murcof relies very heavily on sampled chamber music and acoustic instruments, but tends to fuse those sounds with crisp, clean, glitchy sequencing and patterns. Jacaszek's music shares some of the odd musical phrases found in Murcof's music; it's curious because I always associated those odd stylings with the nature of Murcof's sampling and working with pre-recorded music. Here, Jacaszek records the music himself and then edits and reassembles it, but it still has some of these unexpected nuances and phrases that seem almost accidental at times; this is a positive thing as it keeps listeners on their toes.
Another notable point of departure is the inclusion of the human voice. When that lovely soprano enters the fray, the music swells with the grandeur of Preisner's scores for Polish director Kieslowski (think La Double Vie de Veronique), but this majesty is modulated by the dark undercurrent of these pieces, having a sort of gloom and melancholy that I would associate with another Scandinavian label, Cold Meat Industry. But one listen to "Żal" or "Taniec" is enough to forget about any of these likenesses or comparisons, as Jacaszek and his ensemble transport you to a special place.
It's certain to be at the top of my year-end list as it seems to unfold more with each listen. Dense, thoughtful and achingly beautiful, Treny is essential.
Click to viewmp3s: Żal | Powoli
more information: Myspace | Official site | Miasmah on Myspace
buy it: Boomkat | Amazon