Bounce from Podlasie, deformed guitar sounds, lo-fi pop, synth witchcraft, unrestrained jazz. Here are the first artists of Music Week Poland.
Music Week Poland is a brand-new showcase festival and conference that will take place in Warsaw between 26th and 29th June 2025. The event will bring together artists, industry professionals, and media from across Europe. The festival will host several dozen artists, more than often coming from very different scenes and musical backgrounds. Let’s cut to the chase: here are the first ten names.
Folk mysteries
Merging eastern folk with modern dance music from different parts of the world, Swada / Niczos are gaining ground in Poland. They even made it to the Polish Eurovision finals – and although they lost, the duo managed to reach a new audience ready to go mental dancing to Podlasie Bounce.
Królówczana Smuga, a spine-chilling one-man army project, also combines a profound interest in tradition and a vigilant approach to modern music. His musical narrative is carried out by deformed guitar sounds, reminiscent of old, dusty and neglected instruments found in your great-grandfather’s attic or unearthed in a hidden grave in the forest.
Not shying away from tradition is also Mala Herba, a solo synth witchcraft project of Zosia Hołubowska, focussing on exploring sex and body positivity through ritual dark wave performances. On the other hand, Agata Karczewska with her intimate, emotional, authentic, and honest take on Americana, country, folk, and blues proves that you don’t have to be born in the Mississippi Delta to play great American music. Even with your Slavic roots, you can still be amazing at it.
Guitars on the offensive
There will be no shortage of razor sharp and fun-fuelled guitars during Music Week Poland. Izzy and the Black Trees are living proof that alternative music in Poland is not only alive but also kicking like one angry mule. Be it post punk, noise, rock, modern psychedelia or atomic blues, Izzy & the Black Trees’ music is always in your face, enchanting, harsh, thrilling, moving.
Javva is currently one of Poland’s most interesting and intriguing bands. Their latest sophomore album „Picaros” was released last year to universal acclaim – the critics and fans alike were blown away by the melodic yet gritty, danceable yet noisy psychedelia.
The Bullseyes, the self-proclaimed Polish sweethearts, got their name from the centre of the target in sports such as archery, shooting, and darts. And with their take on rock’n’roll they are steadily aiming for your ears and hearts.
Cosmic fantasies
The strength of modern Polish music lies in its huge diversity. If you were to gather all the artists who combine talent with sensitivity and imagination with integrity, you would wind up with a gigantic army. With Kosmonauci, all it takes is a saxophone, bass, vibraphone and drums to create a sound that will have you immediately swirling, jumping, swaying – or whatever your preferred dancing technique is. They are a Bielsko-Biała boy band for all modern jazz lovers.
If you’re looking for a fun, enchanting, captivating duo that is more than likely to put a big smile on your face and give you an entertaining evening you might not have asked for, but sure as hell needed it, search no more! Here are vgtbl.pl (Franek Warzywa & Młody Budda).
And then there is Julek Ploski and his trailercore music. Ploski is one of those artists who tell stories through their art – ecstatic stories that are rich in context, cinematic in their momentum, baroque in their splendour, overflowing with emotions, and with a profound sense of humanity.
Music Week Poland. 26th-29th June, Warsaw, Poland
www.musicweekpoland.com
