As I dive headfirst into Penthouse’s debut album, a question starts to stew in my mind: Do the echoes of David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Nick Cave still reverberate in today’s musical landscape? Well, by all means, they should, my friends. Because out there in the alternative music frontier, beyond the place where conformity gives way to sonic adventure, I’ve stumbled upon a concoction that weaves the essence of these stage titans into a sonic tapestry unlike anything I’ve witnessed before. This ain’t about cheap imitation; this is about drawing lines in the sand and erecting the very pillars upon which they’ve fashioned their sanctuary, indeed, a veritable penthouse of sound. Geddit?
Up to this point, I’ve merely shared my musings and impressions, but let’s not forget that the creators themselves deserve the privilege of narrating their own sonic journey. They put it this way: “What we do is a quest for fresh vistas, novel textures, and songs born in an uncharted territory where dusty soul vinyl from the ’70s rubs shoulders with the synthetic productions of the ’80s.”
Their perspective holds water, given that Bowie and Pop were always the sparks that ignited the fires of countless other musicians, whose records might now be languishing in dust-laden obscurity. I sincerely hope that time treats Penthouse’s inaugural album with the gentleness it deserves, for it’s a record that ought to grace our ears often, thwarting the advances of dust to claim victory.
In this intricate dance of rock and soul, vocalist Michał Strażewski emerges as the virtuoso, his voice conjuring visions of Iggy Pop in his prime. There’s a deep, velvety quality to his vocals that bestows a sense of grandeur upon the songs. Singers of his ilk have always held the upper hand over those lacking the innate power to ensnare an audience. Strażewski, my friends, knows how to harness his gift to the fullest.
I must confess my heart holds a special place for music that draws inspiration from retro soundscapes. “Music Undersea” is a bold, audacious attempt at fashioning something distinct, using the blueprint of the high-calibre music that thrived in bygone decades.
