Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Tricks of life (PL)

Kasia Nowicka is one of those persons doing most for Polish music. Not only is she known for supporting brand new acts, but as well, with the collective Beats Friendly or solo, she's putting other records out there.
2006 saw another release of hers. This time, her long play debut.
In case you haven't figured out, we are talking about Novika.

During my first trip to Poland, I ran into a record that would introduce me to her work. Smolik 2 (where she collaborates with Smolik) and later on feat. Novika (one compilation where all her collaborations up to that time can be found) revealed a person with an extreme good taste in music, that worked with some of the most interesting Polish artists and, above all, promoted all those new artists that, otherwise, wouldn't see the light.

Collaboration with other artists, the compilation Polskie Leniwe, the 12'' Finally,and the compilation put out by Beats Friendly were the latest releases she was involved with until Tricks of Life came out.

Tricks of life gathers 11 tracks. Each one of them was produced by someone different. Envee, Smolik, Tomasz Zietek, Mariusz Szypura among others gave their contribution to these eleven tricks.

As the cd starts rolling, delicate pop rain drops start falling. The minimal beats combined with Novika's sweet vocals and the dreamy tunes dropping out of the harp make this Depend on you a track to dream with, one of those we close ours eyes and fly away, and away.

Tricks bursts right next. Envee produces here, together with Mikawa Miya, one of the most interesting tracks to come out of this album. Soul, breakbeats, house and funk with a touch of a bass clarinet and Sqbass' powerful and warm voice..... All shaken not stirred....

The album continues with Movie girl and One day friend. We're still sailing on the seas of electronic pop, sweet and delicate vocals. See saw, sees a darker side to Novika's pop. Heavy bass beats and the percussion give a special touch to this track.
Until it comes to an end, the album continues on similar moods. String arrangements, piano, cello and other instruments give such a texture to these melodies, transforming each one of these songs into authentic pearls. The exception comes hidden under track number 9. Mikawa miya, starring Aiko Tachi, is a track that simply can't get out of my head. It starts pop and then......... the instruments shut up!!! The mood changes and Aiko starts telling us a story....... in Japanese. It's simply irresistible!!!!

In a year that saw pop and electronic going out hand in hand, this was another release to colour Poland's 2006 and one of our favourites.

In order to listen to Tricks, Depend on you and One day friend, pay Novika a visit on her MySpace.

Catch her live as well, on the following dates:

19/01 - Poznan / Stary Eskulap
20/01 - Poznan / SQ - together with Alex Santos, Rocco, Glasse and Lipstick.
24/01 - Krakow / Pod Jaszczurami
26/01 - Katowice / Kinoteatr Rialto
29/01 - Warsaw / Teatr Rozmaitosci
01/02 - Zakopane / Zywiec Tent, with the collective Beats Friendly
02/02 - Szczawnica / Zywiec Tent, with the collective Beats Friendly

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posted by SKL @ 2:03 PM  
2 Comments:

  • At 7:56 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Great!
    I am an American who has just discovered Novika and I love her music very much.
    <3

     

  • At 1:02 AM, Blogger SKL said…

    I'm happy you like it so much.

    Discover some other artists right here (best Polish artists of 2006):
    http://musicplpt.blogspot.com/2007/01/look-back-at-2006-top-20-polish-albums.html
    and easily you'll discover those from 2007 as well. You'll see that you like many others (check Smolik for example).

    Take care

    R.

     
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