Polish ex-pat Marcin Pajak makes London, England his current home, a proto-typical guitarist/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist with a well-rounded career as this is his sixth solo album. I particularly enjoyed his last three previous recordings, the apocalyptic “Last Days” (2020), the incredible “Sound of the Trees” (2021) and the haunting “The Maze”, all three providing a solid foundation of quality material, that is now surpassed by this new, more cosmically compelling album. Like an astronaut marooned in some far-flung galaxy, the notions of distance, time and place are expertly set out in a concept that spans the decision to go, all the way to the hopeful and fateful return to a new beginning. Ably assisted by a stellar crew of mission specialist and keyboardist Piotr Sitkowski, Flight propulsion engineers Tomasz Zawadski (Major Tom) on bass and drummer Nick Schlesinger, as well as with saxophone orbital commander Wiktor Swierczek, Marcin Pajak pilots this ET craft, as it ventures into the depths of the universe and back. Eleven pulsating tracks are on the launch pad (Apollo 11 was the one that made history after all) .
As the planning gets under way, “No More Time” ignites the project that will shoot into the heavens, once all the testing is completed and the training is over. The mood is anticipatory, the deep breath needed before the decision is to be made. Appropriately electronic, the bubbling tranquility channels an excited eagerness, tempered by the immensity of the task at hand. The engineering, construction and testing of all components becomes paramount on the mechanically inclined “Building of the Rocket”, espousing a nearly Kraftwerkian robotic vocal, galvanized by a delirious saxophone blurt. Mercifully, a courageous piano provides much needed bravura throughout, another human element in an otherwise cartesian demeanor.
The stage is set, the launchpad ready, sirens continuously blaring, the countdown has begun. “Liftoff” fatefully blasts into the stratosphere, the booster rocket electric guitars carving the pathway to the stars. The tectonic drums pulsate with unrelenting efficiency. Once beyond the firm hold of Earth, the colossal power of the engines turns into silence, as the vastness of space beckons. The floating qualities of “Gravity” induce a sense of cosmic wonder, the exaltation of bold adventure and fearless pursuit. Marcin peels off a bluesy solo on the e-guitar.
Can there be a more epic title than “Space Travel”? Certainly, a centerpiece of this album, the Floydian attributes are front and center, with the contrast of hushed and distressed vocals, resonating through the protective astronaut suit, a whooshing synthesizer solo that glitters in the vast darkness of the cosmos. The saturated guitars are urgent, the keyboard orchestration spanning the farthest horizons, the bass and piano spacewalking together, well tethered and ultimately, a sensational Swierczek saxophone spotlight that seeks to challenge the six-stringed module, engaging in their own Extra Vehicular Activity duet.
There is always an unexplainable solitude within the human condition, “Emptiness” can be found on land, sea and in the air, even beyond the relative comfort of Earth’s orbit. It is in fact, anywhere and everywhere. An endless fight that needs to be overcome, mostly with love, affection and empathy.
Described as a donut-shaped area of frozen objects beyond Neptune, “Kuiper Belt “is where the recently downgraded Pluto resides, and the track indicates the frontier where exoplanets begin, the sheer distance is inescapable. Accordingly, the menacing riffs are otherworldly, the synths swirling in harmony with the leaden drumbeats, that rapidly veer into cosmic fluff, an ethereal zone where the saxophone invokes deep thought and emotion into an otherwise frigid expanse. This segues into the rollicking “Thick Clouds”, the vocal companion still fuelled by the Swierczek brass. The piano-led melody is utterly hypnotic, insistent and timeless.
The acoustic “Towards the Unknown”, is the proverbial ballad, a melancholic hush of grizzled romance, as solitude always brings out the deepest feelings, as well as the importance of belonging. The sax weaves its magic once again, Marcin’s raspy plea coming across as most sincere, yearning for a resolution beyond the stars.
The forlorn pace of “Last Chance” begs forgiveness and salvation, urgently desperate, imbued with fortitude and courage, Marcin raging into the microphone like a softer version of Lemmy (yes, there must always be some reference to the legendary Hawkwind, but I did keep it waiting for the end).
As befits the title, “New Beginning” is the enduring aftermath of trials and tribulations, a soothing resourcing of lessons learned, and the renaissance of a rested soul. The gorgeous electric guitar solo is a drawn-out emotional affair, deeply resonant and utterly Floydian, the expected apotheosis that closes out the voyage.
A concept album that offers a new twist on an old story, lest we forget that the human race has always been propelled by adventurous daring, exploration and survival. An album that needs to be listened to from beginning to the end.
4 Interstellar Overdrives
