Jarzmo Release Debut Album Antropocen
Comprised of Piotr Aleksander Nowak on nyckelharpa and vocals and drummer Katarzyna Bobik, who also adds vocals and various percussive whatnot, the Kraków-set two-piece Jarzmo have released their debut album, Antropocen through Interstellar Smoke Records, with an aim toward bringing together traditional Polish folk elements with the groove and tonal presence of heavy rock and roll.
It’s not an idea without conceptual precedent — I can’t think of another specifically Polish outfit who’ve done the same, but countries like Finland and Spain have certainly managed successful folk/heavy fusions, and there’s the entire genre of folk metal itself, if you want to talk about that — but the sound of the nyckelharpa brings an unique range of tones to Antropocen‘s dense-feeling 11-track/52-minute course, and Nowak and Bobik incorporate live sessions and guests into the proceedings, so in addition to their own ability to explore different ideas in songwriting — without which I expect the band wouldn’t exist in the first place; the whole idea is an experiment — and shifts between instrumental and periodic vocal arrangements and outwardly heavier distortion like “Court Dances” that makes for such a highlight, there are layers of change to be found throughout.
This makes Antropocen a work of scope as much as it’s proof-of-concept for what Jarzmo are doing aesthetically. Would you be surprised if I told you “Twin Peaks” reminded me a bit of the Melvins? Probably you shouldn’t be.
Info came down the PR wire, but it’s the audio you want here. If you don’t want the Bandcamp player, the streaming link is right under the headline below. Can’t miss it. If you’ve got thoughts on what you’re hearing and want to share in the comments, I’m curious to know for sure:
JARZMO – Debut Album of the polish stoner etno duo “Antropocen”
Streaming link: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/jarzmo/antropocen
Emerging from a fusion of medieval resonance and modern grit, Jarzmo’s debut album, “Antropocen”, unveils 11 progressive compositions that blend stoner rock/metal with folk sounds.
This ethno-stoner duo Jarzmo is based in Kraków. They center their music around the unique tones of the nyckelharpa (or keyboard viola), played by Piotr Aleksander Nowak, who also provides vocals. The beat and pulse come from Katarzyna Bobik on drums, who completes the duo with her distinct vocal contributions.
With each track, “Antropocen” explores the pressing themes of today’s world, addressing issues like overproduction, overpopulation, and the climate crisis, encapsulating the challenges of our overstimulated, technology-dependent era.
Jarzmo’s sound takes listeners into a pre-apocalyptic realm—one that is foggy, cold, and heavy with electronic waste, yet echoing with the spirit of traditional folk.
https://www.facebook.com/wearejarzmo
https://www.instagram.com/_jarzmo_/
https://jarzmo.bandcamp.com/
https://tiny.pl/c6p1p
https://www.youtube.com/@jarzmomusic
http://www.vinted.pl/member/148484276-jarzmoekomerch
https://www.facebook.com/Interstellar-Smoke-Records-101687381255396/
https://www.instagram.com/interstellar.smoke.label/
https://interstellarsmokerecords.bigcartel.com/
https://linktr.ee/ISR666
Whoa, this is rad! I’m admittedly a sucker for bringing unusual instrumentation into a “rock/metal” context, which this totally does, but the elements of folk and classical add some tasty notes to this doom stew. I’ve never heard of a nyckelharpa before, but it sounds like an interesting instrument and is clearly being put through some effects to produce a broad range of bad ass sounds (sometimes like a dulcimer, other times like a guitar or perhaps a cello). Simultaneously beautiful, meditative and heavy. Thanks for covering this, JJ. It’s been a rough week!
Thank you for the comment! I’m so glad this one resonated with you. I know it’s a little out of left field, but that was what I liked about it and I thought it was a really interesting sound too, so it’s awesome you caught it and were into it! I’m really curious to dig into the album.
I could see this appealing to fans of the Botanist (see dulcimer sounding parts), Subrosa, Earth, Jucifer, and even Grayceon. So, while it’s objectively “weird”, I don’t think this record is completely outside the Obelisk’s wheelhouse. It’s exciting to think that there are still new sounds, musical styles and instruments out there of which most of our ears are unfamiliar, especially in the Western world. For all the supposed ills of social media and the internet as a whole, the ability to connect disparate sounds and influences from across the world certainly helps to keep things fresh. The definition of “heavy” is constantly being redefined. In my book, that’s never a bad thing. But this is just one Midwestern (U.S.) guy’s opinion.
I love it, thanks for letting us know!
Unique, but still familiar.
It fits in with Ohm and Lord Buffalo and would sound perfectly at home as a 90s Neurot Records release.
*Om. Autocorrect got me.