Trawiaste Miasto by Jan Strach

Jan Strach, a lofi artist and an avid worshipper of the DIY doctrine, returns with another full length, as sprawling and ecclectic , as are JS's inspirations: Frank Zappa, P.M. Dawn, 90s nostalgia, the city of Poznań, cheesy Casio sounds, odd time signatures, wacky chord changes.

There are no dull moments here, no filler, genres skipping between synth pop, grunge, progressive elements and even elements of reggae and fusion jazz interludes. The landscape is filled with elements of 90s popculture (through a Polish lens), and the cryptic lyrics describe, in Polish, nostalgic reality with poetic pathos. All the songs are , as all on Underpolen netlabel, with a lo-fi angle and a homeproduced charm.

Jan Strach is always ready to play with forms and genres. There is a song in 15/16 about a clock, adding 1 letter each verse up to 12. There is a bluegrass/country song with a warped synth interlude. An upbeat Casio pop number which suddenly erupts with farmyard samples which transform it into a swinging jazz instrumental. And so on.

The main hero of the album, however is the melody. It is clear that this is Jan Strach's first love, and the thing that he keeps aiming for. Amidst all this disregard for genre and stylistic clarity, the one utmost pervasive tendency can be seen, and that is, to keep the tunes pretty and memorable.

Released on Jan Strach's Underpolen Netlabel, where you can find all of his other projects and bands, as well as other riveting DIY acts.