Polish-Jazz: LXMP & Kazuhisa Uchihashi - Broken Strings (2012); LXMP & Chad Popple

OK, here in Poland I am kind of known for my inclination towards free jazz. Not only that! I am often despised for embracing sometimes too eagerly anything which is surprising, forward-thinking and creative. Yet, it doesn't mean that I will buy ANYTHING which is wrapped-up as modern, improvised music. Unfortunately most of it is simply bad or even very bad. To say the truth it is much more bad music in so-called avantgarde than in mainstream. These days it is really difficult to find completely hopeless mainstream album. But with new things critics and audience often feel awkward about delivering harsh judgements.

I am less cautious and I want to say openly: both these records are total artistic failure. There is nothing in this music but chaos. There is no idea, no coherence and no skills. I am VERY disappointed especially because of pianist Piotr Zabrodzki. He is best known from very good avant pop band called Baaba (check "Disco Externo"). But I liked him the most from small niche projects like excellent "Nemanga" with tubist Zdzisław Piernik or amazing "Trylobit" in duo with Artur Lawrenz.

Music on these two albums (being parts of even larger project... God saves us!!!) is taking an aesthetique from punk rock and pretends to be free in spirit but in fact it is just idealess cacophony. There was a lot of noise on above mentioned previous projects by Zabrodzki too but I was hoping he will develop his musical language and be able to deliver some original message. Nothing like this happened on these two CDs. Just more banging, more mindless hitting on drum set (the only thing in which Macio Moretti excels). If that is the direction in which LXMP is driving, this is LAST trip I wanted to make with them...

By Maciej Nowotny