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Lynch lays down banks of turtle-drawn synthesizers in minor keys while Zebrowski layers over the cloud tops with a gentle European expressionism that is light on melody but still brimming with a quiet passion. You don't have to buy into David Lynch's artistic vision as a filmmaker to enjoy this collaboration with Polish pianist Marek Zebrowski. An acquired taste, no doubt, but don't be surprised if some author out there crafts an icy noir thriller while listening to these foreboding passages. Supposedly improvised and recorded in one take, I give both men credit for supplying a fresh take on cinematic instrumentation. Like some of the brooding walls of crawling sound Lynch employs in his movie soundtracks, "Polish Night Music" comprises four suites--the shortest at 17:41--that attempt to set the scene on four themes of night: "City Back Street," "A Landscape with Factory," "Interiors," and "A Woman on a Dark Street Corner." Released on Lynch's own music label, he even urges listeners on the back sleeve to "play after dark." That actually might be a good idea on a first listen, since it will give you a better idea of what Lynch is going after. Other reviewers have called this collection menacing, even depressing, but to my ears it is a slow freeform examination of all the corners that darken when the sun goes down.
It's funny, but this album has the same structural concept that Buckethead and Travis Dickerson's "Chicken Noodles" does: an album of music not-used in another project that's comprised of a few long tracks. If you have that soundtrack, this is agreat companion(Lynch sound package them together via ABSURDA; they'd go much better together). It great when artists allow the viewer/listener to see more of their work as it was before all the editing; it allows you to get an inside understanding of what feelings were going on, and you get to explore things that otherwise would've been left on the cutting-room floor. It's hard for me to discuss ambient music, but I'll say that if you're familiar with Angelo Badalamenti's or David Lynch/John Neff's more ambient work on soundtracks, you'll probably like this one. It's from the sessions that produced some of the music for Lynch's latest--"Inland Empire".
This is dark and sad and heavy-leaden music. This will definitely bring you down.
Maybe once in a blue moon, but as I said this is for those who want to collect the whole Inland Empire experience. Not something to play on a regular basis for sure.
A completists dream coupled with "The Air Is On Fire" which also replicates an incredible amount of the atmosphere contained in Inland Empire. It does what it sets out to do and takes you on a journey which will leave you feeling very empty and odd.
This is for those who aren't afraid to go places maybe we shouldn't; not too often anyway. Not a joyful trip by any means, but a continuation into the dreaded dream/nightmare feelings aroused by the movie.
5 stars for the amount of emotion it can instill (which is mostly paranoia induced).
Most of the music consists of some droning synthesizers over a bed of airy and menacing ambient textures. I don't mean 'stagnant' in a bad way, but rather to suggest a very heavy feeling that really brings the listener down with a remarkable intensity and persistence.While not for everyone, those who enjoy Lynch's signature dark sound design will enjoy this album. "Inland Empire" seems to be more than a film, as it is the hub of a variety of Lynch works including photographs, some web shows, and now this album of music. Acoustic piano occasionally provides some melodic motion, but for the most part, the atmosphere is dense and stagnant. It also makes an interesting supplement to "Inland Empire." Where the film explores these characters, times, and places through images and a narrative, "Polish Night Music" explores them through sound. "Polish Night Music" consists of four lengthy tracks exploring the aural environment of various portions "Inland Empire". If you have the soundtrack, listening to "Woods Variation" will give you a very close idea as to the sound of "Polish Night Music".
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