Julia Marcell
June

There is a Poland closer to us, and consequently closer to the very heart of the continent. A more European Poland, an extreme eastern outpost of Germany and (musically speaking) of that extraordinary Berlin climate that, starting from the '70s, decided and modified the destinies of world music. The Thin White Duke celebrated Warsaw in one of the most haunting/mystical/visionary episodes of that genuine Manifesto that is "Low" - with a gaze somewhere between fascinated and admiring towards everything that lay East of the Wall: endless plains to Western eyes, soundscapes as much as geographical horizons.

And there is a Poland further away, remote, distant yet not distant enough to not feel its echo: that Poland which is already a terrace overlooking the Baltic and Russia, the Poland of the old Lithuanian Grand Duchy, a country much more SLAVIC, culturally, than Central European (international law aside).

Julia Górniewicz, known as Marcell, possesses the rare, indeed unique crystalline Talent, of including resonances from both Polands in her music. A Berliner by choice but originally from Olsztyn/Allenstein (northeastern Poland), this young woman born in 1982 is gifted with imagination and sound sensitivity that, upon listening to this album from two years ago, left me with few words. Words which I have rediscovered now to say that - despite an inexplicable silence surrounding her in Italy - we are dealing with an Artist of international stature.

Of course, I forget to mention that - besides the already noted qualities - she possesses an uncommon vocal instrument. But the vocal instrument does not make the Artist. In Julia's case, artistic stature is also determined by the courage to leap (and leap she did indeed, in just two years) from the minimalism for piano and strings of her debut "It Might Like You" to the difficult-to-classify medley of "June", where remarkable work and shrewdness align - but typically within the same piece: electronics, classical interludes, tribal rhythms, Slavic influences, and pianistic/ambient scenes worthy of applause.

But the most remarkable aspect of the offering is the absolute ease in vocal overdubbing/superposition of multiple parts, as well as the impression you'll have of "sonic overcrowding" derived from using her own voice as a rhythmic element. This is especially highlighted in "Echo", with the base vocal line sung in English and the hammering choral apparatus in Polish - doubly disorienting. If sometimes the electronics become more explicit (though often these are keyboard sequences with bass and drums recorded later), the results are nevertheless unpredictable, unsettling (see "CTRL", "I Wanna Get On Fire" and especially "Matrioszka", a sort of celebration of the more "Slavic" side of Julia's music). "Gamelan" is genius in harmonic structure and is exactly what the title suggests, except for the total estrangement effect when a harpsichord (!) appears, which isn't very common for Indonesian rhythms... on the other hand, moments of pure hypnosis aren't lacking, as they couldn't (with "Since" above all). 

And her voice? A delight, at times very delicate but ready for unsuspected bursts of aggression, full of nuances and caresses that barely touch the notes, play with them, making them a conduit of overwhelming expressiveness.

Far from appealing to those who do not love eclecticism and electronics and prefer the usual channels of Anglo-American sounds...

...but for my taste, Julia represents something VERY important.

Enjoy listening (to those who wish to).