Mariusz Duda
Lockdown Spaces

It was inevitable that the Covid-19 pandemic would also exert its influence on musical art, both from a logistical and technological standpoint and a compositional one. Several albums were written "in the trenches" during lockdown, several were recorded "remotely," several were recorded in studios with safety measures, and music videos were shot with similar precautions. Some albums were written taking advantage of the halt in live activities, some releases were delayed due to distribution problems... but there are also those who were inspired by the situation during the writing phase.

The mastermind of Riverside, Mariusz Duda, after finishing the tour with his band, found himself in lockdown and obtained the right inspiration for a solo album that probably would never have seen the light of day otherwise, or maybe it would have had different characteristics. "Lockdown Spaces," a title that is certainly not coincidental, in instrumental form with rare vocal inserts, perfectly represents the state of mind that confinement entails. It's an electronic music album, melodic electronics with few harsh sounds, immediately reminiscent of less rhythmic Kraftwerk and not overly expansive Tangerine Dream, quite repetitive music but it is what the context demands.

Sometimes we find ourselves wondering if music really serves as a narrative, if sounds and note sequences genuinely constitute a musical transposition of what one wishes to represent, and we often have the feeling that the standardization music has undergone in recent decades has stripped away some of its representational power. But when you listen to "Lockdown Spaces," the doubts dissolve. I can't say exactly what was floating around in Mariusz's head or what precise aspects of this strange situation he wanted to focus on, but let's interpret it from my point of view, using a bit of imagination.

Undoubtedly, in the mere 34 minutes of this work, you truly breathe in what we all experienced during the difficult period between March and April. You feel the anguish, the claustrophobia, the uncertainty about the near future, the desire to escape but also the awareness that escaping can be dangerous for oneself and others. The brief duration proves to be an effective choice; had it lasted longer, the sense of unease would likely have multiplied and given the impression of being in a never-ending tunnel.

All those aspects that characterized that rigid lockdown can somehow be found in those notes and sounds. The pandemic likely originated from China, and I must say that an Oriental mood is undoubtedly felt; if you associate the listening to images of a futuristic yet nocturnal and solitary Wuhan, you realize that the juxtaposition works, it could be a suitable soundtrack for a possible documentary on the pandemic. But we also find something a bit reminiscent of Tibetan bells, such as in the title track, as if meditation were an escape route or at least a way to break the uneasiness. It was also the period when every so often we were disturbed by the sound of an ambulance, and when we listen to tracks like "Isolated," "Bricks," and "Pixel Heart," we unconsciously think of the deafening sirens. And then it was the period, still widely ongoing, of smart working and remote connections and this aspect also finds its representation, it almost always seems like electronic computers are at work. We talked about repetitiveness; well, resorting to repetitive passages doesn't seem like a random choice either; long-term quarantine life is indeed repetitive, it doesn't allow for great variations and oscillations, plus time seems to stretch and flow more slowly.

I hadn't heard a work so linked to narrative function for years, probably never felt it; I repeat, I don't know if Duda intended to represent exactly what I understood, but even without thinking, he succeeded. This is the spirit with which one should always compose; every piece should always be chosen with this care... or perhaps music is always like this and we just don't notice it?

Best album of 2020? Probably not, I preferred several others and it didn't end up in my top 10, not the best but surely the most functional.