Monika Brodka / Napszyklat / Part of a Kamp CD cover / Part of Minerals "White Tones" CD cover, photo: Kayax and press materials
A new incarnation of sound presented by Kamp! that marries the Cure's Robert Smith to New Order's Bernard Sumner, the alternative up-and-comers Minerals, Polish trio Napszyklat's mix of experimental sounds, noise and hip-hop, and Monika Brodka combining pop with eclectic elements of electronic and alternative music. The freshest music from Poland makes its way to Austin’s SXSW - the South By South West festival.
Back for its 27th year, SXSW, "the biggest and most anticipated convergence of all things music", hosts artists from Poland for the fourth time. In the past three years, with the support of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, the festival hosted Julia Marcell, L.Stadt, Pustki, Kamp!, Kyst, Indigo Tree, Paula & Karol, Moja Adrenalina, Twilite and Coldair. The Don't Panic We're from Poland concerts presented by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute and Filter magazine take place at the Cedar Courtyard, showcasing Polish artists in an initiative launched by the Mickiewicz Institute to promote new and independent Polish music at festivals at home and abroad.
Monika Brodka, known for her unique brand of "folk power with punk energy", is one of the acclaimed young Polish recording artists, with gold records, critical praise and industry awards. The key to her success is her fresh, experimental approach, pushing the envelope in commercial pop that continues to attract the masses - and her personal style has made her a fashion icon featured in major magazines. She recently recorded a mini-album, Lax, in Los Angeles, and played at New York City’s CMJ Festival. Brodka performs at the New York Sound City Festival on the 11th of March and in Chicago on the 16th of March.
Kamp!, one of Poland’s most recognised bands abroad, are playing SXSW for the third time. They stand out for their signature strand of melodic synth-pop, with inklings of 1980s New Wave, 90s French House and the unmistakable spirit of the Cure's Robert Smith woven through the vocals. They sing in English, with impeccable delivery and all-around great sound. Their first album, Cairo, came out in 2011, followed by an international tour that hit Los Angeles, Liverpool, Berlin and New York City. Kamp! also performs at the Fountain Art Fair in New York on the 9th of March, at El Dorado in San Diego on the 22nd of March and at La Cita in Los Angeles on the 23rd of March.
The alternative up-and-comers Minerals have already earned comparisons to Coldplay and Radiohead. They debuted a year ago with their White Tones album, and played Poland’s Open’er and OFF festivals three months later.
Napszyklat's mix of experimental sounds, noise and hip-hop lyrics in Polish has been described as "a clash between loud western culture and undefined central and east Europe. That’s the culture shock". Unsettling musical textures come together with varied styles of rap performance. The band has recorded three albums, with the most recent, Kultur Shock, released in June 2011. Napszyklat also performs in New Jersey on the 23rd of March.
NP | Myspace Music Videos
Iza Lach, a vocalist who gained a huge dose of fame after she won Snoop Dogg's competition for a collaboration on the song Set it Off, is playing a special performance for music industry reps at the festival. After debuting as a teen, she has gone on to record two albums by the age of 23. Her sound is soulful and fresh and incited Snoop to invite Lach to contribute to two more albums. The film Birds of a Feather, produced by Snoop and Iza in Łódz, will be screened on the 15th of March, and Lach’s works will be presented during a Soundcloud showcase.
Starting on the 19th of March, songwriter, vocalist and guitarist Tobiasz Biliński (who co-founded the bands Kyst and Coldair) represents Poland at the Canadian Music Fest. With his mix of post-folk and improvised instrumentals, Biliński was recently MTV Iggy’s Artist of the Week. The MTV Iggy website writes, "Hearkening Sufjan Stevens, Bon Iver and Beirut, Coldair’s most recent album Far South is an irresistible folk effort, borne of an artist who is far from green. Coldair, or Tobiasz Biliński, is a SXSW veteran also founded the critically acclaimed Polish indie folksy crew Kyst, and has traveled the world armed with a falsetto of Thom Yorke proportions."
The SXSW Music Conference and Festival kicked off its first year in downtown Austin in March 1987. Aiming to educate and inspire musicians and those who work with them, the event brings together panel discussion and conferences featuring some of the industry's key players, the SXSW Trade Show, parties and musical acts.
Polish artists at SXSW Music:
Brodka:
11.03.13 NYC, NY @ New York Sound City Festival (Knitting Factory)
15.03.13 (SXSW) Austin, Texas @ Filter Magazine presents Showdown at Cedar Street
15.03.13 (SXSW) Austin, Texas @ SXSW Official Showcase at Esther's Follies
16.03.13 Chicago, IL @ Copernicus Center
Kamp!:
09.03.13 NYC, NY @ Fountain Art Fair
14.03.13 (SXSW) Austin, Texas @ SXSW Official Showcase @ Tap Room
15.03.13 (SXSW) Austin, Texas @ Filter Magazine presents Showdown at Cedar Street (stage: 11:40)
22.03.13 San Diego, CA @ El Dorado
23.03.13 Los Angeles, CA @ La Cita
Napszyklat:
14.03.13 (SXSW) Austin, Texas @ SXSW Official Showcase at The Iron Bear
15.03.13 (SXSW) Austin, Texas @ Filter Magazine presents Showdown at Cedar Street (stage: 11:00)
16.03.13 (SXSW) Austin, Texas @ SXSW Official Showcase at Medusa Lounge
23.03.13 Hoboken, New Jersey @ Maxwell's
Minerals:
16.03.13 (SXSW) Austin, Texas @ The Whiskey Room 11:00 PM to 11:40 PM
For more information on SXSW see: SXSW
For more information on Don't Panic We're From Poland see: Don't Panic..
Sources: culture.pl, press release, SXSW
Editor: MJ