Rafał Kołacki - Panoptikon
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It’s not my first musical meeting with Rafał Kołacki, the first being back when I listened to Mammoth Ulthana, one of his many projects. This time around I’m faced with his solo work, which simultaneously is a score to a film sharing the same title. ‘Panoptikon’ is an extraordinary mixture, but not at all volatile. Quite the contrary.
I haven’t seen the film, but if its atmosphere is even slightly similar to Kolacki’s music, it must be a grim picture indeed. I may be exaggerating, but one cannot ignore the dark character of the music expressed using so many methods. The artist utilizes elements of genres such as tribal, folk, already mentioned dark, and a whole bucket of experiments, which I must admit works perfectly. The first moments of the LP are by far the most sinister on the album, a fitting opening for a film if I may say so, and it’s impossible to ignore the explicit tribal influences the author must have had in mind (live drumming). With track no 4 come the experiments, introducing much space, and I will be damned, even more ominous feeling. A few steps further the sounds ease a bit, the apex of which can be observed in ‘Zywoty Ludzi Niegodziwych’ (an ironic title, wouldn’t you agree?). This particular tune reminds me strongly of Susumu Yokota’s works. Afterwards it again becomes dark (‘Blask Kazni’) turning into etheric (‘Panoptyzm’), but one can be said for sure, it never becomes mundane.
The source of the musical diversity can be sought in the fact that apart from two tunes on the LP, each of them features a collaborating musician (one or more). I have to confess, I have no idea who these people are, hence my inability to clearly state who contributed what to their respective tracks.
‘Panoptikon’ is worthy of recommending, period. Anyone enjoying a wide array of ambitne music is likely to find here something for themselves, and probably even more then that. Rafal Kolacki has recorded an album which sounds fresh (and sinister) each time you put it on. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Tracklist:
01. Wiedza Okrutna
02. Obłąkany w Zielniku
03. Język Bez Końca
04. Ciało Skazańca
05. Znaki i Przypadki
06. Widzialne Niewidzialne
07. Żywoty Ludzi Niegodziwych
08. Blask Kaźni
09. Zamknięta Pokrywa Słońca
10. Panoptyzm
11. Plaga Gorączek
12. Wielkie Zamknięcie
I haven’t seen the film, but if its atmosphere is even slightly similar to Kolacki’s music, it must be a grim picture indeed. I may be exaggerating, but one cannot ignore the dark character of the music expressed using so many methods. The artist utilizes elements of genres such as tribal, folk, already mentioned dark, and a whole bucket of experiments, which I must admit works perfectly. The first moments of the LP are by far the most sinister on the album, a fitting opening for a film if I may say so, and it’s impossible to ignore the explicit tribal influences the author must have had in mind (live drumming). With track no 4 come the experiments, introducing much space, and I will be damned, even more ominous feeling. A few steps further the sounds ease a bit, the apex of which can be observed in ‘Zywoty Ludzi Niegodziwych’ (an ironic title, wouldn’t you agree?). This particular tune reminds me strongly of Susumu Yokota’s works. Afterwards it again becomes dark (‘Blask Kazni’) turning into etheric (‘Panoptyzm’), but one can be said for sure, it never becomes mundane.
The source of the musical diversity can be sought in the fact that apart from two tunes on the LP, each of them features a collaborating musician (one or more). I have to confess, I have no idea who these people are, hence my inability to clearly state who contributed what to their respective tracks.
‘Panoptikon’ is worthy of recommending, period. Anyone enjoying a wide array of ambitne music is likely to find here something for themselves, and probably even more then that. Rafal Kolacki has recorded an album which sounds fresh (and sinister) each time you put it on. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Tracklist:
01. Wiedza Okrutna
02. Obłąkany w Zielniku
03. Język Bez Końca
04. Ciało Skazańca
05. Znaki i Przypadki
06. Widzialne Niewidzialne
07. Żywoty Ludzi Niegodziwych
08. Blask Kaźni
09. Zamknięta Pokrywa Słońca
10. Panoptyzm
11. Plaga Gorączek
12. Wielkie Zamknięcie
