Description
Polish duo Skalpel channeled the influence of their homeland’s rich jazz traditions into their own contemporary electronic sound. DJs/producersMarcin CichyandIgor Pudlofirst teamed in Wroclaw, Poland, in 1998. Working in virtual anonymity, Skalpel soon began assembling the first of their Eastern European fusion-inspired cut-and-paste mosaics by sampling classic LPs from artists includingKrzysztof Komeda,Tomasz Stanko, andthe Novi Sisters, spending months and even years in search of the right sounds to complete each individual track. In 2000Pudlointerviewed Ninja Tune label artistDJ Vadimfor the Polish hip-hop magazine Klan. Soon after,Vadiminvited Skalpel to tour Poland with his Russian Percussion ensemble, and after returning to Wroclaw the duo issued their debut CD-R, Polish Jazz. Despite limited distribution, the release was the subject of rapturous acclaim and in 2001 Ninja Tune extended a record deal. Skalpel spent the next three years working on its self-titled debut LP, earning comparison to jazz iconsMiles DavisandHerbie Hancockwith the end result.Konfusionfollowed in 2007.
Taking a similar approach to DJ Vadim, Skalpel plunder the rich jazz-tinged heritage of their Polish homeland and combine it with a consummate love of all things breaks to land a sound which revels in an after-hours, smoke imbued vibe. Ranging from the Herbaliser-esque Funk+Hammond excursions of ‘Flying Officer’ through to the Shadow delineated breaks of ‘Test Drive’, Skalpel are truly laid-back; not once breaking into anything more strenuous than a stroll. via AllMusic / Boomkat
Label: Ninja Tune
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Repress
Repress: 2020 / Original Release: 2005
Genre: Electronic, Jazz
Style: Breaks, Future Jazz, Downtempo
File under: Downtempo
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