Skalpel are a Nu Jazz DJ duo from Poland consisting of Marcin Cichy and Igor Pudlo and have an extremely amazing and unique sounds in a genre that is sometimes very hard to label...
Let me start at the beginning, I love Jazz with a passion than can be described as borderline addict, and one thing I have learnt from my adventures n finding Jazz I truly enjoy, is just how incredibly diverse it is. And this is before you factor in all the nu-jazz, namely Acid Jazz, Trip Hop, Jazz Fusion, Free Funk, Jazz Rap and the list goes on. For me personally there are two genres of Nu Jazz that has my interest, Acid Jazz and Trip Hop, which I guess in all honesty is the same thing. One refers obviously to Jazz that has a feeling you just dropped acid, and the the other is Hip Hop you listen to while high... so technically some form of chemical or natural conductor was at play here. Because breaks and beats form the basis of both these genres, and the source of these beats are normally from Hip Hop. Although Trip Hop does have a more present Hip Hop sound, while Acid Jazz a more well, Jazz sound. This is very much a generalisation but it's my blog, and I can get away with it! ^_^
And don't worry this is all leading up to my Skalpel review, I just feel it is my duty to explain the genre a little before just jumping in there. From this point on I will refer to only Acid Jazz to keep things simple.
Acid Jazz has a very special place on my playlist, and it is something that works for almost all of my musical moods. Not many of friends appreciate it as much as I do but luckily it works just as well while on the couch with my headphones on. It is very complex and yet very simple at the same time, something makes no sense at all but listen to it and you will hear.
The Acid Jazz artists who rely on their turntables would blend together modern Beats with old Jazz, or the other way around, and sometimes just make it even harder to explain just old or new music. DJ's have complete free expression to use any method and source they feel like to create the music. In the case of live bands who play Acid Jazz, Portishead as an example, thing become very interesting and take a life of their own... but that will be a review down the road.
Back to Skalpel, the album I am making reference to in this review was their first full-length album, called Skalpel. It a very classic example of Acid Jazz, and the beautiful fusion of modern beats with 60's and 70's Polish Jazz. Using original Polish Jazz does set Skalpel apart from many other similar acts. Jazz has flourished in Poland since the fall of Communism and Dave Brubeck visiting the country in 1958 gave a nation Cool Jazz. So since then Jazz has has a very dynamic following in Poland. Tie together a nation that has a very turbulent and complex history with everything the modern world and technology can offer, and a younger generation hungry for the world. You end up with some incredibly talented acts coming from Poland. A few of which I will feature on my blog.
By now you should be getting the idea that I can dwell for some time on Acid Jazz and in particular Skalpel, and with just cause. They are a class act delivering incredible compelling and sexy lo-fi beats that would be more than comfortable being played in the most chic of Paris nightclubs. Start listening to the album and you wouldn't even noticed if it was on repeat, the music is so soulful and easy to get lost in. Unless you have the vinyl version of the album, in that case you will notice when it is done and will very quickly flip it over to be played again and again.
This is the genre and artist for a very specific group of people, the new generation of intellectuals. People who don't like the idea of society creating little boxes for us to fit in, who do as much as they can to confuse the rest of the world by having incredibly diverse taste and who relish in as much as the world can offer them.
So please support these amazing artists and enjoy the music. I think the biggest thing I want from the blog is for people to explore music they wouldn't normally listen to, or come across. Music is such an important aspect of life, and therefore not something we should take for granted. So in many ways it is our duty to keep a ear to the ground and listen, while opening our minds and thinking for ourselves.
Want it?
Here in South Africa this is something that requires a bit of patience to get hold of, but apart from hassling Musica and other chainstores to get hold of it, you can always try Mabu Vinyl here in Cape Town. An incredible shop for all your music needs.
The other option is buying directly from Ninja Tune and then you can also explore their exceptional collection of music, many of which will still be reviewed on this site.
Let me start at the beginning, I love Jazz with a passion than can be described as borderline addict, and one thing I have learnt from my adventures n finding Jazz I truly enjoy, is just how incredibly diverse it is. And this is before you factor in all the nu-jazz, namely Acid Jazz, Trip Hop, Jazz Fusion, Free Funk, Jazz Rap and the list goes on. For me personally there are two genres of Nu Jazz that has my interest, Acid Jazz and Trip Hop, which I guess in all honesty is the same thing. One refers obviously to Jazz that has a feeling you just dropped acid, and the the other is Hip Hop you listen to while high... so technically some form of chemical or natural conductor was at play here. Because breaks and beats form the basis of both these genres, and the source of these beats are normally from Hip Hop. Although Trip Hop does have a more present Hip Hop sound, while Acid Jazz a more well, Jazz sound. This is very much a generalisation but it's my blog, and I can get away with it! ^_^
And don't worry this is all leading up to my Skalpel review, I just feel it is my duty to explain the genre a little before just jumping in there. From this point on I will refer to only Acid Jazz to keep things simple.
Acid Jazz has a very special place on my playlist, and it is something that works for almost all of my musical moods. Not many of friends appreciate it as much as I do but luckily it works just as well while on the couch with my headphones on. It is very complex and yet very simple at the same time, something makes no sense at all but listen to it and you will hear.
The Acid Jazz artists who rely on their turntables would blend together modern Beats with old Jazz, or the other way around, and sometimes just make it even harder to explain just old or new music. DJ's have complete free expression to use any method and source they feel like to create the music. In the case of live bands who play Acid Jazz, Portishead as an example, thing become very interesting and take a life of their own... but that will be a review down the road.
Back to Skalpel, the album I am making reference to in this review was their first full-length album, called Skalpel. It a very classic example of Acid Jazz, and the beautiful fusion of modern beats with 60's and 70's Polish Jazz. Using original Polish Jazz does set Skalpel apart from many other similar acts. Jazz has flourished in Poland since the fall of Communism and Dave Brubeck visiting the country in 1958 gave a nation Cool Jazz. So since then Jazz has has a very dynamic following in Poland. Tie together a nation that has a very turbulent and complex history with everything the modern world and technology can offer, and a younger generation hungry for the world. You end up with some incredibly talented acts coming from Poland. A few of which I will feature on my blog.
By now you should be getting the idea that I can dwell for some time on Acid Jazz and in particular Skalpel, and with just cause. They are a class act delivering incredible compelling and sexy lo-fi beats that would be more than comfortable being played in the most chic of Paris nightclubs. Start listening to the album and you wouldn't even noticed if it was on repeat, the music is so soulful and easy to get lost in. Unless you have the vinyl version of the album, in that case you will notice when it is done and will very quickly flip it over to be played again and again.
This is the genre and artist for a very specific group of people, the new generation of intellectuals. People who don't like the idea of society creating little boxes for us to fit in, who do as much as they can to confuse the rest of the world by having incredibly diverse taste and who relish in as much as the world can offer them.
So please support these amazing artists and enjoy the music. I think the biggest thing I want from the blog is for people to explore music they wouldn't normally listen to, or come across. Music is such an important aspect of life, and therefore not something we should take for granted. So in many ways it is our duty to keep a ear to the ground and listen, while opening our minds and thinking for ourselves.
Want it?
Here in South Africa this is something that requires a bit of patience to get hold of, but apart from hassling Musica and other chainstores to get hold of it, you can always try Mabu Vinyl here in Cape Town. An incredible shop for all your music needs.
The other option is buying directly from Ninja Tune and then you can also explore their exceptional collection of music, many of which will still be reviewed on this site.
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