KOSY

About

" Contemporary reinterpretation of Polish folk music from Lower Silesia "

Reinterpreting folk culture is deeply rooted in Polish art. For centuries, painters, writers, and composers have drawn inspiration from the heritage of rural life. The ethnic diversity across different regions of Poland adds to the richness of the country’s folk culture, serving as an endless source of inspiration even today. It’s not particularly novel to extract individual fragments and implement them into a different stylistic context. However, true art lies in the ability to navigate the aesthetics of the past, faithfully reproduce them, and adapt without compromising the original. An example of this is the band KOSY (eng. The Scythes).

The female quartet finds universal elements in the ethnic heritage of Lower Silesia. On the one hand, there’s a faithful attempt to recreate ancient sounds using instruments like the reed organ, hurdy-gurdy, hoop drums, violins, violas, and percussion. On the other hand, there’s a modern interpretation of lyrics, narrating contemporary dilemmas while preserving the style of ancient tales spun by rural elders. KOSY has succeeded in blending traditional form and fresh expression, making their work unique among other bands attempting to connect with the musical folklore of the Polish countryside.

Traditional sounds spiced up with unconventional ideas for melodies and embellishments is the approach that makes their 2022 album, ‘SIEW’ move past the danger of feeble attempts to reproduce Polish folk music and offer instead an original and intriguing reinterpretation. It relies on a unique vision for composing pieces, starting from lyrics and vocal parts, and ending with melodies and post-production. A splendid compromise.