KATHARSIS

This album is quite a spaced-out form of electronic and experimental fusion. It lacks any studio-drumming and there are vocals by Niemen only on a few of the tracks. So i would say the album is quite challenging, however not entirely uninteresting if you´re into the latter of Niemen´s work from the 70´s (Aerolit, Ideé Fixe) which is basically very experimental overall.

Unappreciated cosmic voyage

This recording is perceived as 'black sheep' in Niemen's discography. People used to his big-beat singing, even to his avant-garde works on poetry and fusion music. But this LP was a real SHOCK! Almost no vocals and no other musicians. 'Just' variuos keyboards and experiments. No matter how big dissapointment for many it was, IT IS a real masterpiece of electronic-fusion music, reaching the range of Tangerine Dream or Fripp & Eno. The pioneer usage of 'home-made' loops, landscape-like tones from moog and mellotron... it can't be passed by indifferently!

The LP is a compilation of Niemen's work, from the period when he was writing music for theater.

The begging is a journey... no, not to to the center of the Earth. And not from Earth to Cosmos, but from Cosmos to Earth. A journey of being. Voyage full of colors (created by various loops) is also supported by very good Niemen's improvisations on moog (yet, he wasn't an excellent pianist). Journey ends (or begins) on "Planet Earth" with mysterious atmosphere reminding Tangerine Dream's "Zeit".

Next tracks continues mysterious journey (full of very interesting and original Niemen's ideas) and leads to dramatic "Z listu do M."... dramatic mostly for those who will understand the Polish poem. But besides poem, still the pure message in music is very clear.

Despite the majority of music is exciting, not whole LP is so good. Some of this theater-music stuff is only for avant-garde/electronic maniacs (they would here proto drum'n'bass in "Próba ucieczki"). And some is just weak - like most important "Epitafium", written after death of the close Niemen's friend (no matter how deep is the poem sung there, the music it's beneath abilities of this musician).

What is also important, it isn't a 'raw music' without sense. Everything is deep in philosophy or rather a way of looking on a modern life, connected with Niemen's favourite Cyprian Kamil Norwid (whos poetry he used on famous "Bema pamięci rapsod żałobny" or "Pielgrzym"). Niemen is trying to capture something ethereal, cosmic. And - for the contrast - depravity and lack of deep thought in our modern civilization. And it is NOT just an excuse for recording music - it really interwines with music making everything coherent.

I'm more than 100% sure that this LP is absolutely NOT a 'black sheep' or 'misunderstanding'. And it's not only for Niemen maniacs.

I've only heard one other album by Niemen, but it's pretty obvious Katharsis stands out in his discography. A very electronic album, just as much if not more electronic as anything coming out of Germany at the time. Czeslaw is the only musician here, playing mostly keyboards but also some percussion, guitar and vocals. The main instruments here, from what I've read, are MiniMoog, EMS Synthi and Mellotron.

"Odkrycie Nowej Galaktyki" has good funky bass synth and echoed/delayed synth. Some elctronic percussion. Love the sound of the synths at the end. "Mleczna Droga" has more good bass synth sound with hi-hat. Then some echoed spacey synth. "Planeta Ziemia" starts with wind sounds. Rattling and crackling sequencers. Nice Mellotron halfway before synth solo. "Fatum Pieczec" are two seperate songs on the version I heard. The former is synths with some guitar and Mellotron; the later has paused synths at the start, then a children's music box. Phased percussion, then weird synth solo. Then the sounds of people in a resturant. "Z Listu Do M." is one of the best songs here. A little bit of phased guitar and percussion. Some vocals. Repeated synth parts through most of the song. Scat singing near the end.

"Proba Ucieczki" has an almost harmonica sounding synth. Lower notes sounds like sax. Then Aphex Twin-style bass synth and repeated electronic beat. Some vocal noises. Synths that sound like xylophone. The title track begins with bubbling synths. Machine like noises from sequencer. Great bass synth. Another synth solos over top. Near the end more synths. "Epitaflium (Pamieci Piotra)" starts with cymbals. Then hymn-like singing with Mellotron and electronic bass drum sound. Spoken word part over halfway through. Cymbals at the end.

The version of this album I heard has a bonus song not listed here. "Dorozka na Ksiezyc" is better than half the songs on the album. Starts with percussion then great bass synth. Then flute sounds and funky synths. Some echoed/delayed piano-like synth. More funky synths. This is a one-man-band album and a good one. If you like electronic prog, you will most likely enjoy this album. I would give this album 3.5 but it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. So 3 stars it is.