Bartosz Kruczyński ‎– Baltic Beat II - Growing Bin Records

Likely intended as an ambient soundtrack to the beauty of Poland’s outdoor spaces, Baltic Beat II opens with a collage of field recorded nature sounds and traditional Polish mountain singing that sets tone for what is ultimately a stunning musical journey. Perhaps more tropical and exotic than you’d expect to experience in Poland, Kruczynski uses a variety of mostly percussive instruments to construct each piece. Loops of piano keys and brightly plucked guitar strings hover above mallets pitter-pattering syncopated rhythms on woodblocks, marimbas, and xylophones, giving each song a sparkling, sunlight-dancing-on-the-ripples-on-a-lake effect. Emotively captivating from start to finish but relatively short in length (sub-40 minutes), at its conclusion I’ve found myself reaching for either his “Selected Media 2016-2018” release on Emotional Response (2019) or the original Baltic Beat also on Growing Bin (2016).