Skalpel – Skalpel (Ninja Tune)
April 12th, 2004 by freddie96
I’ve long believed that music is at its strongest when it’s in the business of reinvention. Certainly we wouldn’t have such an exciting music scene today if it weren’t for crate diggers’ passion for excavating our past in order to see what’s been overlooked in our relentless rush forwards into shiny happy newness. That, for me, is the essence of the chiller’s attitude: that there’s virtue in taking your time, looking deeper, listening again. Especially when it comes to scratchy old records.
Skalpel embody this attitude to perfection. Utterly immersed in the jazz tradition of their native Poland – the basis of their work is samples of samizdat recordings from the 50s, 60s and 70s (witness the terrific ’1958′) – they’re devoted to bringing these obscure riches into the contemporary idiom. Although there’s nothing conceptual about their work, there’s a strong sense of historical justice about it, for in Poland jazz was long viewed by the Communist powers as a form of insurrection.
Hearing this music, I feel the Commies weren’t entirely wrong, for its complex structures and irrepressible sense of rhythm testify to a knowledge of the human spirit that can never be quantified, ordered or controlled. It’s music filled with joy: random, chaotic, sometimes carrying a dark undertow, more often verging on the ecstatic.
The sound is impeccable. Think the Cinematic Orchestra with a more classic jazz sound – or at least a lot more swing and a more impish sense of humour – and you’re almost there. Indeed, given that Skalpel’s videos to date have all been reworkings of old B&W footage from Polish film and TV (an almost literal counterpart to their music), there’s a strong sense of aesthetic continuity between the two acts.
Making connections like these has long been an integral part of Ninja Tune’s particular genius, giving new acts an immediate context and point of contact with listeners. I’m sure for many a Ninja, Skalpel will feel like long-lost cousins finally coming back into the fold. Let’s make them very welcome; I for one am hoping they’re here to stay.
Freddie B.
