RASP Lovers – Romantic Alternative Schizophrenic Punk (2019)

RASP Lovers

Szymon Wójcik - guitar
Jerzy Mączyński - tenor & baritone saxophones
Marcel Baliński - piano, microkorg
Rafał Różalski - double bass
Bartosz Szablowski - drums

Romantic Alternative Schizophrenic Punk


HOWARD 4

By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz ensemble RASP Lovers, led by guitarist Szymon Wójcik and also including saxophonist Jerzy Mączyński, pianist Marcel Baliński, bassist Rafał Różalski and drummer Bartosz Szablowski. However, four of the above listed musicians (all except Baliński) appeared last year as members of the P.E. Quartet which released their debut album "Cokolwiek" then, so one might wonder why the change of moniker? The album presents eleven original compositions, all by Wójcik. The music was recorded at the Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy Gruszecki, who is probably the only person on earth up to the task.

To my surprise the music on this album does not continue the direction of the above mentioned P.E. Quartet's debut album, which perhaps answers the question about the name change. It is a harsh, often conflicting amalgam of many musical elements, from Avant-Garde, Jazz, Rock and Punk (more in attitude than musically). As a result the music shakes the listener at first contact, which perhaps is the desired effect. It is very difficult to find a coherent direction or concept in this music at first, again perhaps intentionally so, with the music jumping between rocky riffs and improvised music parts without warning and which, as a result, can be quite masochistic for a casual listener.

But on the other hand one has to admire the non-conformism and the courage to follow the Artistic vision, which obviously stands behind this music. The five musicians all perform wonderfully and imaginatively throughout this album, creating absorbing flow and fascinating moments, given the opportunity to be heard and noticed. It takes time and patience to create a mental bridge to this music, which probably very few listeners are able to build eventually, and which is probably not a primary concern of the music's creators. For hardened Improvised Music/Avant-Garde fanatics this is an obvious chaotic heaven, the rest of the world – you have been warned.