Light Coorporation – Chapter IV: Before The Murmur Of Silence (2014)

Light Coorporation

Mariusz Sobański - guitars, baritone cello
Paweł Rogoża - tenor saxophone
Kuba Jankowiak - trumpet
Witold Oleszak - acoustic grand piano
Piotr Oses - double bass
Krzysztof Waśkiewicz - bass
Miłosz Krauz - drums, percussion

Chapter IV: Before The Murmur Of Silence

ReR LC04

By Adam Baruch

This is the fourth album by Polish Progressive Rock/Jazz-Rock Fusion ensemble Light Coorporation, led by guitarist/composer Mariusz Sobański. The album was recorded by a septet, which also includes saxophonist Pawel Rogoża, trumpeter Kuba Jankowiak, pianist Witold Oleszak, bassists Piotr Oses (acoustic) and Krzysztof Waśkiewicz (electric) and drummer Miłosz Krauz. It includes eight original compositions, all by Sobański, which are accompanied by eight poems also written by him, printed in the album's booklet, which remain as unsung lyrics accompanying the music. The music was recorded live in the studio, but the sound quality and dynamics are excellent.

For the fourth time in a row Sobański and his ensemble manage to surprise me completely, which happens extremely rarely with other artists. The chameleonic ability to constantly change the lineup and the music, but at the same time create some of the most fascinating music on the Polish scene, which is exploding with talent and extremely competitive, is truly astounding. This album is definitely the most jazzy and most open of the ensemble's releases so far, and brings fond memories of some of the Frank Zappa ambitious projects, which incorporated Rock, Jazz and contemporary Classical idioms, but also the work of some early British Jazz-Rock pioneers like Rock Workshop. The "dirty" guitar tone and the superb brass solos, backed by a funky rhythm section are simply delightful and completely unique. There is no other group, neither in Poland nor anywhere else on this planet, which plays anything remotely similar.

There are also new elements, which appear here for the first time, such as the Improvised Music approach the ensemble clearly demonstrates, and of course the element of freedom in the improvisations, which are often quite bold and clearly reach beyond the boundaries of Prog, which initially defined the group's orientation. Over time Light Coorporation managed to evade and steer clear of all attempts to get neatly categorized, which is one of their major fortes. The last track on the album, which lasts over seventeen minutes, is a modern symphonic poem, of rare beauty and intensity, which simply de facto defines the music.

Listening to this album is like a rollercoaster ride, which themes, rhythms, intensities, crescendos and silences chasing each other constantly. The music takes the listener by the throat and does not let go well until the last echoes of the music are all gone; a completely unique experience, which happens only once in a blue moon.

I have no idea why Light Coorporation gets such a limited feedback in Poland, but the fact that the prestigious British ReR label releases their album for the fourth consecutive time is a symbol of distinction and appreciation. Hopefully they will be able to get more recognition back at home, as they truly deserve. This is definitely one of the best and most interesting Polish albums of 2014, and another great accomplishment by Sobański and his cohorts.