Follow Dices “Czułość”

selfpublished, 2023

Premiere date: September, 2023

NASZA RECENZJA DOSTĘPNA JEST W JĘZYKU POLSKIM

It took five years with for listeners to wait for the Follow Dices’ second album. The break was rewarded with extremely interesting and varied music.

An album contains nine compositions and lasts less than three quarters of an hour. Almost all of the material is signed by Mikołaj Kostka. One composition each was contributed by Franciszek Raczkowski and Jan Jerzy Kołacki. The group’s line-up, unchanged since the previous release, is completed by Adam Wajdzik.

“Czułość” is tied together by two melodic tracks with eye-catching solo violin parts. In between, we find a mix of musical styles. The musicians reach for folk and classical in their inspiration. “Passacaglia. Sketch” and “Passacaglia” – in turn refer by their titles to 17th-century Spanish street songs. 

The group interestingly exposes the individual skills of the artists. “Roman Fresco” begins with an atmospheric solo piano introduction lasting almost three minutes, which develops into an intriguing duet conversation between double bass and violin, joined by percussion in the finale. The entire piece, an excellent showcase for the quartet’s music, lasts over eight minutes.

“Baroque Tenderness” capably takes the listener from the world of baroque music to energetic jazz. A steady start in the performance of the violin turns into a frantic musical pursuit. Mikołaj Kostka superbly demonstrates the two facets of his instrument here. The aforementioned “Passacaglia”, on the other hand, draws attention with a rhythm given by the percussion.

“Tenderness” is listened to with great pleasure.  But the album also provides satisfaction in the visual layer. It is worth mentioning the well-thought-out editorial side of the release, which perfectly corresponds with the musical content. Elegance is added to it by Ola Smoliga’s drawings, and Aleksandra Slowińska is responsible for the whole graphic side.