By Paul Acquaro
Polish pianist Joanna Duda has a lithe, modern approach to the piano. Clear and repetitive figures interlock in hypnotic patterns, and although often precise and stark, her music can also be dramatic and laden with emotion. It is an alluring combination and one that can crack the scar tissue of the hardened experimental listener with incisive melodies and quick atonal jabs.
On Delighted, which is Duda's second release with her trio, bassist Jort Terwijn and drummer Michał Bryndal provide support with both their respective instruments as well as contribute to the electronics that Dude laces throughout her compositions. To describe the result, the cliché "tapestry" fits quite well: the music weaves melodic patterns, electronic adornments and solid threads of rhythm seamlessly together.
Delighted begins with the track 'We're New to This Planet', a simple chord sequence from Duda starts things off, while Terwijn provides a forward moving melody on the bass. Light drumming fills in the backing layer and it indeed feels like the first day of a fresh start on a new planet. Then, the wake up call comes: a slight hesitation followed by rhythmic syncopation from everyone. It's jolting and introduces the expansion of atonal melodic snippets and poly-rhythmic passages, leading to a modicum of free-improvisation before settling into a soothing ending.
Later tracks expand on all the elements found in the first track. In the following 'Those Who Think They're French but are Actually Russians,' a lilting melody with classical tendencies juxtaposes with uptempo arrhythmic swing. 'When the Truffles Get Dry' starts with an aggressively propulsive riff that leads deep into vintage Bad Plus musical territory and features some ping-ponging rhythmic moments. Among the other tracks left to discover, 'Romantische Sache' demonstrates the most robust application of electronics on the recording. Following its open-hearted intro, the middle half of the song spirals into bits and bytes before eventually reconstituting itself.
While Delighted leans towards the more melodic and composed, subversive elements draws it gently in an experimental direction. Certainly worth an open-eared listen.
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