After a two years of waiting, EABS are back with a new record. Their debut effort Letters to Krzysztof Komeda would focus on the little or lesser known works of the Polish composer, and this new effort is filled with original compositions. Keeping their ears to the storied sound of jazz music, they were able to take inspiration from the big beat era, full of experimentation in pursuit of their own unique sound on this record. They expanded their musical line up with soprano saxophone and flute (played by London based flutist Tenderlonious), but with tour commitments on both ends and scheduling recording sessions in Poland, this took some time. so although the music was conceptually ready to go in 2017, it took until now to get it all together, which fortunately for EABS, turned out to be advantageous. All of their compositions on Slavic Spirits were given a bit more time to age and mature, another sign that this project was going to be dope.

Inspired by deliberations of many musicians, but also historians, journalists, writers, and even psychotherapists, new compositions began to appear rapidly, pouring out of the band’s spirit and imagination. The material is also an attempt to radically break out of the status quo of national mythology which currently steers the collective imagination of the Polish society. The musicians turned to Slavic mythology and Polish demonology, while pondering upon the contemporary spiritual condition of Poles.

The overall idea for this record was birthed out of ““Free Witch and No Bra Queen / Slut”, a medley directly inspired by Komeda that the band played in concert. “During the tour, while travelling together, we talked a lot about Poland’s difficult history. We noticed a number of dreadful episodes and unresolved traumas that have been haunting us until this very day”, recalls Marek Pędziwiatr. Slavism, witches, and hunger turned out to be a central root of the compositions on this record, a total surprise to band members after they all sat down and spoke about it. The band would also explore their Slavic roots deeply, trying to reconnect with the often misunderstood and lost culture of their path. It is a dark and brooding, often exploring subjects like “The Darkness”, “Woodland Spirit”, “Sun Worship”, or “The Noon Witch”. Eerie but captivating, EABS have put together almost forty four minutes of highly captivating international jazz that is not just music, but an exploration of the Slavic culture history and the unspoken words transferred via these beautiful and haunting songs.

Get the record here on the Astigmatic Records label.

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