Oramics, the DIY collective run by and focusing on women, local, and queer artists, have put together an all-hands mix and a guide to everything wild and wonderful from Poland and beyond. You can’t pick a better way to end 2018 than with strange, new, and different sounds.
We met Oramics in October:
https://cdm.link/2018/10/in-poland-a-collective-for-women-and-queer-artists-becomes-an-agency/
In many ways, it’s a strange moment for electronic music across Europe and the global scene. True, it’s now in fashion to look beyond centers like London, to make lineups with more women or more queer artists. But while that’s a welcome development – not just politically, but musically – that still doesn’t mean it’s easy for anyone to break through into the limited scene already out there. The very fact that some artists have become commercial commodities can mean an even steeper road for artists who don’t fit in, whatever their identity. Media outlets have ceased print publication. Blogs have shuttered, and music journalists struggle to make ends meet – while having to chase links and followers. And too often, the demands of commercial DJ booking even in this more left field-friendly age are at odds with what makes unique producers and live performances tick.
It’s tough. It’s frustrating. It’s okay to need some friends – even just someone to listen to your music.
I like what Oramics are doing precisely because they’re giving that support to one another outside of the usual system of PR and booking – totally DIY. They’re making their own scene, as Justyna / FOQL is quick to point out.
I think you’ll dig these sounds and discover some new things – and perhaps a model for taking your own weird stuff that fits in, and finding some other people to share with.
Oramics this time team up with another Polish DIY effort, Behind the Stage and their superb podcast series. They turn over the helm of the BTS series to Oramics for a team effort – roughly 20 minutes per person – and give you a total 105 minutes of music:
Running order: Monster, ISNT, FOQL, Mala Herba, dogheadsurigeri.
They’ve also selected their own favorite under-the-radar resources for unique Polish music for CDM. It’s your guide to the Polish underground:
Monster Poly chain sanatory of sound festival photo – Paulina Adaszek.
Monster
https://musicofstoriestold.bandcamp.com/ – great lively releases by Seltron 400, some of my favorite Polish producers
http://www.kholetrax.com/ – people behind Olivia’s fantastic debut EP
https://flauta.bandcamp.com/ – a club night focused on helping refugees, they released a really impressive VA compilation
https://soundcloud.com/pilpl – a vinyl label from Poznan, focused mostly on underground house
FOQL & Copy Corpo @ Cafe Oto. FOQL is the alias of Polish artist Justyna Banaszczyk.
dogheadsurigeri
Zaumne, nadziej, julek ploski — young wolves of polish electronic scene 😉
https://czaszka.bandcamp.com/album/emo-dub
https://enjoylife.bandcamp.com/album/nie-lubi-my-le-o-niemi-ych-sprawach-gdy-nie-jestem-w-stanie
https://julekploski.bandcamp.com/
Mala Herba
https://www.facebook.com/3szostki/ – tape label from Poland investing a lot of love and effort into supporting pure weirdness
Girls to the Front
https://www.facebook.com/allgirlstothefront/ Warsaw-based pro femme and queer initiative organizing concerts and putting up beautiful zines
FOQL
Debut album by our very own ISNT:
https://vanitypilltapes.bandcamp.com/album/world-is-full-of-electric-chairs
I would like to recommend Pointless Geometry label and especially this one exceptional VA tape.
It is a very special charity compilation and you will find everything what is interesting in polish underground right now inside. Whole label is one of the best in Poland!
https://pointless-geometry.bandcamp.com/album/va-ardea-cinerea-benefit-compilation-for-adam
I am also exploring eastern and central european underground in my Noods Radio residency show
http://noodsradio.com/residents/interferencje-w-foql
ISNT photo by Magda Szafrańska (Instytut)
ISNT on tape!
ISNT
We Will Fail – amazing polish producer and very successful artist running her own label!
https://wewillfail.bandcamp.com/album/we-will-fail-dancing
DYM – label and collective from smaller Polish town (my home town!) Gorzów Wielkopolski. We need more initiatives likes this one. They also do their own festival two times a year. It’s like 2 hours from Berlin – you should visit!
https://dymrecords.bandcamp.com/