Infoporn + Dym Festival – two compilations showcasing the best of new Polish underground
Published June, 2017
by Easterndaze
Two noteworthy compilations have popped up in the space of a month showcasing the best of Polish underground/bedroom electronics. Although it’s slightly ridiculous to group musicians according to their passport – there’s no such thing as the Sound of Poland, or the Sound of Hungary, these two compilations are a vigorous example of the thriving state of this tiny, but increasingly exciting scene. These musicians have more in common with some abstract, global underground happenings, than any local or nation/bordered state. This scene, as it’s become evident, is self-sustainable and doesn’t need any international headliners or experts.
Infoporn is a compilation by the relatively dormant, but nevertheless amazing tape label Jasien. According to their own words, Infoporn is “showcasing weird home-friendly electronic music from Poland”. Noodly modular sounds meet offbeat synth experiments and a general exploratory vibe, apt for home listening (or outdoor headphone listen), with more established producers like Mirt, Palcolor as well as avant-garde sound collagist Grupa Etyka Kurpina. As the tracklist progresses, the noodles become more rhythmic, delving into electroid territories, such as courtesy of Arkadiusz Entropia.
Dym Records is a small record label that “focuses on unusual, often local musical phenomena, regardless of the form or genre.” They also organise a festival under the same name in the scenic environment of Gorzów Wielkopolski in north-west of Poland. This local focus creates some sort of zone of experimentation, irrespective of the often unwelcoming surrounding and local politics (which often shuns these types of initiatives). It’s refreshing that escapism (literal) has been replaced by glocalism. The Dym compilation is a 12 track overview of their lineup – from post/club deconstructivist Jakub Lemiszevski through lush synthscapes by adopted Warsawer Poly Chain, Micromelancolie and Tutti Harp.