– THE PEACEFUL PROTEST –

“Jazz through the prism of hip-hop” band EABS are a band that have become synonymous with their Polish ancestry.

Their first three albums all played strongly on connections with film music composer and jazz pianist Krzysztof Komeda.

And now their soon-to-be-released fourth album Slavic Spirits attempts to be even more ambitious in its reach by addressing the question of their country’s past.

“We talked a lot about Poland’s difficult history” says bandleader and keys player Marek Pędziwiatr. “We noticed a number of dreadful episodes and unresolved traumas that have been haunting us until this very day.”

Alas, so difficult was that story to tell that the band ended up researching the work of various musicians as well as historians, journalists, writers, and even psychotherapists to help them tell it.

But, as the narrative of the album unfurls, hope emerges; note, it starts with a track called The Darkness (Ciemność) and finishes with this cut, Przywitanie Słońca, which translates as Sun Worship.

Propelled by the intricate and exotic flute and soprano saxophone lines of London’s own “rising mega-talent” Tenderlonious, the band’s optimism boldly bleeds through.

It is uplifting and emotive and deeply, deeply moving.

Slavic Spirits is released on 7^th June.

MORE FROM THIS WEEK’S MIX

GODTET: COMEDY
TYLER, THE CREATOR: WHAT’S GOOD
HACKNEY COLLIARY BAND FEAT. ANGELIQUE KIDJO & ROUNDHOUSE CHOIR: MM MM
ROSE DROLL: HUSH

P.S. You can find all of the tracks reviewed above in the 45 Revolutions per Minute playlist below or click to access the 45 RPM Playlist on Spotify itself.

If you like what you hear (or even if you don’t), please engage in dialogue with me @45rpm_Reviews on Twitter. And, if you’d like to receive updates weekly, please subscribe to the email list to get these recommendations sent to your inbox weekly.

– SV –