Marcin Pajak’s fourth studio album is ten tracks of varied, but solidly progrock, its main theme of lifestyle changes, adapting to new trends and following marked tracks as we journey through all the growing isolation and confusion of today’s world.
But who is this fella? Hailing from Kielce, Poland, Marcin Pajak is a London-based guitarist who has been apparently inspired by numerous progressive rock giant. Marcin’s first inspiration was Pink Floyd, recommended to him by his older brother playing the bass guitar. With time, he also discovered new music genres, represented, among others, by bands such as Metallica, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Sepultura or Panther and many others, but it is the music of Pink Floyd and the likes of Steven Wilson, King Crimson, Opeth, Dream Theater, Riverside and Porcupine Tree that have left the biggest influences on Marcin’s music. His solo debut album “Who I Am” was released in September 2014 and the second “Other Side” in April 2018, both recorded at Marcin’s own studio in London and mixed and mastered in Serakos studio in Warsaw. The third full-length album “Last Day” was recorded with El Gordo Murkin (vocals, lyrics) and W.R.ONA (bass), released November 2020.
Marcin is very much the multi-instrumentalist, but the fourth album also features aforementioned bassist W.R.Ona and Piotr V. Gawlik on the drums. In addition Michał Wojtas (Amarok – the band) played keyboards and Wioletta Gawara sang the wordless vocal on Lost In The Crowd. Most instruments were recorded in Marcin’s home studio in London, but percussion and bass guitar recording was at Nebula Studio in Warsaw.
We’re told “the album “Sound Of The Trees” will take us to a journey through climatic soundscapes, trance rhythms and surprising changes of moods during the songs”. So what do we get? Rich, proggy soundscapes, various textures and layers, and interesting dynamics of harder sections and softer excursions, lush sounds and solid production. Yes, you can hear that it isn’t an Abbey Road album, but heck, what is these days? Good song structures, well sung, well mixed up. It’s a very good album. Lots of love, blood, sweat, and tears evident in it, well recorded, well produced and a definitive style and consistency in it. And Gawlik’s drums definitely propel the album on; and listen to the bass on ‘Together Apart’. Yes there’s some Floyd in it, and for me some RPWL (especially ‘Silent Planet’), some Riverside/Lunatic Soul (especially ‘Together Apart’), even some Devin Townsend, but a lot of little-known Shamall for me. Possibly a track or two too many, ‘Long Journey’ is for me the standout track but you can’t particularly fault any of them, as there is plenty to get your ears stuck into.
I like this man’s style and effort.
Tracklisting:
- Lost in the Crowd
- Sound of the Trees
- To Find Ourselves Again
- Long Journey
- Silent Planet
- Together Apart
- You Are
- Escape from Reality
- Digital Life
- Last Song
Website
https://marcinpajak.com/
Spirit of Progressive Rock 