I’m not saying that you know what you are going to get when you drop the virtual need onto a new track by Ludwik Konopko, but you can be sure of many things. The guitar playing is deft and dexterous but never showy. The tones and textures will be light and appealing, the music being full of space and warmth. The instruments and playing that make up the music will be only those necessary to serve the song, no extraneous sonic fat or musical muscle is allowed to spoilt the song.
And that is exactly what we find on this latest release, Up & Down. And whereas, often his exqisite guitar playing might be set against electronic washes and swaying shuffling beats, this time out the sound is that of an unadorned guitar in all its glory.
Even without the usual gossamer sonic platform that often acts as the backdrop to his music, it is a gorgeous affair, the space that might otherwise contain punctuating bass notes or electronic washes rolling in like the sea breeze, allows the notes to float and fade away just as new ones are being conjured into existance. This is the sound of a man acompanying himself on guitar.
Blended from warm Mediterranean strands of sound and wonderfully mixing traditional playing with modern digital sounds, Up & Down is the sound of timeless musical styles being preserved in the modern age. Not only preserved but re-imagined, a torch being held aloft not just for the here-and-now but for future listeners too.
Instagram:​​ https://www.instagram.com/ludwik_konopko/
Spotify:​​​ https://open.spotify.com/artist/6uytAPZGbcGH09wtju1hJD
Apple Music:​​ https://music.apple.com/pl/artist/ludwik-konopko/1572074497
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/artists/B097XJZ7H4/ludwik-konopko
