STRANGE POP

Strange Pop continues to explore analog sound with this third raw, fresh and atmospheric recording keeping the nostalgic climate to confront its legends in view of the passing of time distorting our perception.

'All My Nights' organ from yesteryear, time when we took it, siren, slamming door, sound of footsteps; a fruity air of funky soft, jazzy, dark art-rock à la Sade; a soulful, plaintive voice, air flowing like a cloud of milk with a guitar solo à la Al di Meola. 'Disco' follows, danceable, fruity, on a herbie Hancock, trumpet in the distance, we imagine the sound coming out of a night bar now, from a soundtrack like that of Roger Rabbit; the throbbing sound and voice with the ambulance sirens in the distance, everything is diffuse, cottony like the mist over the city at the end of the night; atmospheric spleen psyche ambiance. 'The Child' has 10CC organ in the background, a metronomic tune, redundant like a musical spiral in which we are stuck, like an endless day; its haunting. 'Wave/Night' reminiscence of the DIY projects of Amarok and Riverside for a progressive approach, search for new sounds; violin and phrased then rapped voice that rolls, a choir that returns in waves; reverberant, shrill guitar, a musical oxymoron to challenge; vocal lament before the start of consensual rock, soft, illuminated, hypnotic.

'Nocturnal Lifestyle' river title, spatial flute, a Gilmourian guitar that of Pablo, the piece explodes suddenly with the cold electronic ambience, of linear Massive Attack in the background; moment to think about this city escaped by going to recharge your batteries in nature; reminiscent of Daft Punk, Japan, minimalist ambient music; contemplative like that of Lunatic Soul, helping to reflect on our society; final metronomic spatial more than atmospheric. 'Step Out of the City' interlude given the duration for the solemn dark ambient track; on a Lacrimosa then on the electronic flights of the 80s, note this purity of notes for the escapade outside the city and the benefit experienced. 'Splendid Solitude' with the song which denotes, like a film trailer title, the moment you raise the seat to go home, far from this teeming city, once again hypnotic and promoting regression. (3.5)

STRANGE POP is Michał Dziadosz, composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist of the group ILUZION; it is his 2nd solo album with big names Michał Wojtas, Ryszard Kramarski and Maciej Sochoń; a 70's vintage progressive rock sound like PINK FLOYD, TANGERINE DREAM or that of LUNATIC SOUL. A 40-year journey, a concept album about breaking toxic relationships, a look back at the here and now, here we go.

'Last Time' hovering intro of a PINK FLOYD, latent air with slide guitar and organ; a vintage title yes, with old reminiscences and a modern sound to avoid repetition; AMAROK's Michal solo is worth its weight; melodic, hovering with this wave noise at the end. 'Friend' rock title well struck, the nervous riff plunges on a catchy air with clapping of hands; raw piece that seems to come out of decades of yesteryear where Daniel's guitar solo gives all the sensitivity to the title, helped by the vintage organ; simple then captivating. 'Lost Years/Working Hour' instrumental with the SCHULZE intro of the Berliner current; monolithic sound, NASA vocal, monolithic tune with reverberating synth; it reminds me of the last latent HIPNOSIS track; mid-point break where the cymbals increase the musical clarity after a dark start; Ryszard's synth fills the entire ear, anvil, stirrup and ossicle and refers to the musical wanderings of the late VANGELIS. 'Nothing Really Happened' second instrumental with these few notes that explode my memory, yes Maciej and Michał have the art of referring to 'bring in the accused' by the late Michel Legrand; the latent air then leaves on an S-F theme with ambient soaring tunes to TANGERINE DREAM and Jean- Michel JARRE; the drums give relief and a sound flirting with those of Michal of RIVERSIDE. 'All Days' jerky sound for the melodic title, intimate with the warm voice of Michał, title with an intimate melodic rock structure.

STRANGE POP therefore offers a trip to the turn of the 70s-80s, it is clearly stated; a natural art-rock side without concession on atmospheric prog rock, continuity and evolution for a moment out of time. STRANGE POP is an opportunity to realize the work of the dinosaurs of the 70s, especially PINK FLOYD, without listening to all of them for weeks but by getting a glimpse of this oh so intimate and contemplative movement by listening to sound analog recorded this year; a sort of escape trip.

STRANGE POP is intended as a tribute album to the time of analog instruments, to raw recording; it is Michał DZIADOSZ, composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist of the group ILUZJON whose existence I knew with 'No Phantoms In' who is at the helm; he is accompanied by three great guitarists, Michal WOJTAS from AMAROK, Michal KIRMUC from COLLAGE (whose CD I am impatiently awaiting) and Maciej SOCHON; he offers vintage progressive rock from the 70s on PINK FLOYD, SOFT MACHINE, TANGERINE DREAM and LUNATIC SOUL, which shows that prog rock is alive and well in Poland. Let's get comfortable to see what level of regression we will be able to fall on this nostalgic vintage album.

'Quiet Storm' kicks off this atmospheric album that made me want to chronicle just for the PINK FLOYD sound; hovering over the synths, a guitar ' la GILMOUR which tears up the notes, perfect. "Goodbye Song" on a variation of 'Animals', 2nd title where it is Michal of AMAROK who holds the soli; the vocals in reverberation, haunting, gripping, allowing to raise the emotion until this solo more RIIS or GILMOUR than you are dying, maybe Steven WILSON simply! An electronic rhythm while crescendo.

'Ex Oriente Lux' arrives on the wind, a soaring sound that Mariusz could have created; on the edge between his personal works, the sound of LUNATIC SOUL and that more recognizable of the master KITARO or KITAJIMA for the soothing flute, a refreshing electronic flight. 'Night Trip' continues with the presence of Maciej from SEASONAL on guitar; what if the symbolic presence of the melancholy RIVERSIDE makes itself felt? Rock art in its psychedelic, laconic and meditative conception that sends our minds wandering on the sharp and inhospitable slopes of our repressed dreams. The bass beat reinforces this idea, the slide guitar, the warm voice of Michal setting the spleen decor.

"432 Bars" for the river title, the least creative in my opinion with an obvious plunge between TANGERINE DREAM, ASH RA TEMPEL and KLAUS SCHULZE; an archaic sound, a declination of malodorous primary notes with an effective spleen to slip into one's armchair on a moonless evening; repetitive absolute vintage to forget time, space, its own presence. The title to tame according to its concentration and its imaginative space, the title where it will be necessary to think of not drowning under the deluge of vague memories and where the final rise gives shivers; less creative but deeply drug-vintage.

'All This Hope' for the radio edit title, let me explain: short, dancing, sung, a Floydian melody for the sound, ELOY for the rhythm; harmonious unpretentious title that allows you to come back to earth in 2022. Title that highlights Michal (again) from COLLAGE.

STANGE POP is therefore Michal for bass, flute, keyboards and percussion for a spatial journey in the psychedelic era of the 70's. A pure sound without artifice, a dark and sober air on musical creation, original music synthesized for 10 years, made to make us travel free of charge in the prog space. STRANGE POP releases a simple album providing a myriad of personal ideas for which you have the solution.