Igor Boxx

Igor Boxx, also known as Igor Pudlo (from Ninja Tune’s acclaimed Polish jazz duo Skalpel), opened the new decade with a solo album entitled "Breslau." Since then, he has released two more albums—"Dream Logic" in 2012, and "Delirium" in 2015. Skalpel has released two albums on Ninja Tune—"Skalpel" in 2004 and "Konfusion" in 2005, followed by "Transit" released on Plug Audio in 2014—and is regarded as one of Poland's most important musical exports, well-received in Poland and internationally. In Igor’s solo work, the inspiration comes, like before, from his home country and, even more specifically, from his hometown of Wroclaw. Igor Boxx's first album, "Breslau,“ tells the tale of the 1945 siege of Festung Breslau ("Fortress Breslau"), undertaken by the Red Army. The historical background might not be important to listeners who are not familiar with the multinational and multicultural history of Breslau, now known as Wroclaw, but this journey is emotional musically and powerful enough to allow anyone to follow the story. Various sounds are used to depict the massive force and fury of the Bolsheviks' attack, and the determination of the terrorized civil population of the city to hold on. Krautrock grinding illustrates the monotony of endless battle, psychedelic ornaments underline the absurdity of wartime madness, jazz rhythms sound off the chaos on both sides of the conflict, and ambient soundscapes paint the overwhelming desperation of city defenders‘ efforts. On "Breslau," Igor practices what he's always preached and gives a bit of an explanation about what it means to come from the Central European city of Wroclaw—a unique place with a complex and troubled history that was only re-incorporated as a part of Poland after the end of World War II. This journey from old to new reflects almost half a century and the entire "lifetime of vinyl culture." It is a great insight to music from behind the iron curtain. The rest is . . . well, history. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.