Kayanis - Where Abandoned Pelicans Die

 In Poland, Kayanis is a renowned musician. He spent over three years on this remarkable project, in which he created a synthesis between classical music and elements from symphonic, progressive, rock and pop-music. After 7 years this is the follow up to “Synesthesis”, an album from 2001, just like on the current album, with the collaboration of an orchestra and many different outstanding musicians. The thread in this musical spectacle, running over 75 minutes, is a couple of masterfully delightful themes. In the “Overture”, surely one of the highlights on the album, the first one of these is being played somewhat melancholically by keyboard with just limited accompaniment by synths (I think). Then the same theme is played on acoustic guitar and subsequently, with the addition of more instruments variations on that theme and more, played by the piano; the main theme is then performed by the orchestra and the full band in a bombastic way, featuring the lead-guitar, with a very powerful solo. In “Truth Of Violet”, a foreplay by the orchestra, featuring woodwind instruments, another main theme is performed by the (mezzo) soprano Magdalena Rucinska, who has got a voice resembled by Edenbridge vocalist Sabine Edelsbacher. The track continues rather powerful, like a soundtrack for a film getting near its climax, with orchestra and synths, but there’s also a lovely piece of melodic rock music as a contrast to the cello and woodwinds right before this part. Purely classical music is being counter parted by very melodic yet solid rock-music in “Aurora Abandonata”; however, some daring contrasts are being provided by the piano and the acoustic guitar. Sometimes it sounds almost like Ennio Morricone going heavy metal! Especially when Jaroslaw Nuszcynski with his fine and deep voice starts to sing the title track, a very nice “E(lectronic) M(usic) meets Pop” tune, the surprise is complete. Subsequently, Kayanis creates an atmosphere like in “The Snowgoose” by Camel. The orchestra picks up the first themes, with variations and in different keys, featuring amongst others the acoustic guitar and the hobo, partly accompanied by a playful piano and percussion. The track ends majestically with the full choir from Gdansk and the orchestra. In the song “Princess Of Hopelessness” we hear solemn classical music with a key role for amongst others the hobo and the violin, playing the first main theme. In between predominantly electronic, cosmic parts in “Close To Me And Far From You”, there is a solemn but lovely classical piece with a lead-vocal, once more performed by Rucinska. An ‘a capella’ singing choir, followed by strings and woodwinds, heralds an “ERA” resembling piece (although more classical), again with the choir, and the finale in this track is played by piano solo. “The Palace Of Yaspirre” opens with some classical music, the melody lines played by several woodwind instruments, but then Kayanis’ keyboards and the orchestra join in, partly gentle and subtle, partly more bombastic. In track 9, “When You Cry Out All Your Tears”, at first a piece of keyboard solo, accompanied by flute and hobo. The frivolous character of the orchestration slowly evolves into a more threatening atmosphere. At the end of this track, keyboard solo (atmosphere again like in Camel’s “Snowgoose” album) followed by an acoustic guitar, accompanied by the orchestra. “Close To Me And Far From You Part Two” starts off by a cosmic electronic piece, smoothly transcending into the singing of the choir, again “a capella”. Subsequently there is some solemn music, played by strings & synths; then, with the addition of (electronic) percussion, one of the central themes is interpreted by the Gdansk choir accompanied by Kayanis’ keyboards and the orchestra. The lovely voice of Patrycja Modlinska sings “Lightsleeper”, an exquisite pop-tune, partly accompanied solely by keyboards, acoustic guitar and percussion. A playful variation on one of the main themes can be distinguished. “Who’s The One To Know” opens and ends somewhat mystically with its ambient like atmosphere and a sole singing voice from a distance draws attention; in between, rather suddenly, there is an interlude played by church organ. The full symphony orchestra revisits the theme from track two “Truth Of Violet” in the reprise and en passant also the enchanting theme from the first track. The maestro himself performs the delightful opening-theme on the piano, rendering a very intimate finale. Kayanis walks new paths and builds daring bridges. The high quality production enhances the listening sensation of this album, combining classical music, soundtrack atmospheres, the different genres of rock and pop-music as well as electronic music in a courageous attempt to cross all borders. As far as I’m concerned, this exceptional offering belongs to a higher league in contemporary music. Via his website www.kayanis.com, one can find some clips, as well as proof of the immensity of this project! “Where Abandoned Pelicans Die” is a highly recommended album, distributed by MUSEA records in France. (www.musearecords.com).

9,5 out of 10

Menno von Brucken Fock    - IO Pages, Dutch Progressive Rock Page.

Musical Discoveries:

 Kayanis is one of the most popular EM composers in Poland. He took first guitar classes in 1982, aged ten. Two years later he enrolled at the State Music School of Slupsk, where he learned the acoustic bass and the piano. Between 1984 and 1987 played bass guitar and keyboards with local rock bands and further developed his style during the early 1990s.

Machines & Dreams (Hardbeat Records, 1998) was his first solo album. Kayanis then began to appear on Polish national TV channels, produced and directed his first video. Polish Radio 3 began to play the album and "Arecibo" and "Lost Tribe” ultimately reached numbers 7 and 9 respectively on Jerzy Kordowicz's Top TLEN--an electronic music hit list, the most popular EM radio show in Poland. Kayanis played a lot of concerts, including the ZEF festival--at that time the biggest electronic music festival in the country.

Synenthesis (Luna Music (Poland) LUNCD074-2, 2001) is a much larger scale project. It is comprised of nine tracks that work together as a cohesive whole. Tempo and style changes are frequent--there are touches of classical, new age, progressive and even metal. Kayanis, accompanied by Jacek Szczepkowski, the sound engineer, entered the Keyamo Studio (built specially for the project) on January 2, 2001. The left it for good in June--yet still some work was to be doney at a mastering facility. More than a hundred and fifty musicians and vocalists participated in the recording.

The album involves a good load of synth sounds, extraordinary guitar work, vocals, choirs and a chamber orchestra. The album is a union of styles--it cannot really be compared to anything, Synesthesis marks a new path in synth-based music: somewhere between EM, progressive rock and classical film music. Gentle yet extremely powerful at times, classical yet modern, passionate and strong but still melodious, sometimes even relaxing, this is an album of tremendous proportions. It won't leave your CD player for long once you put it on.

The album's strongest vocal numbers are album standouts. They include the choral "Synethesis I," the layered multi-tracked new age metal rossover "Nevertheless" and the synthesizer-backed ballad "Sad Song" sung solo joned by saxophone in spots. Listeners will be enthralled with the metal-edged power of the choral stylings in "Inter Arma Silent Musae" and "Willow Green."

Kayanis’s Synesthesis concert involves twenty musicians and vocalists. The show presents music from Machines and Dreams, Synesthesis and Keyamo albums, the last one which has not yet been released. A four minute live video excerpt of "Synethesis" was viewed by our editors during the preparation of this review. Return to Musical Discoveries for our forthcoming reviews of additional material by Kayanis. Further information is available at the artist's (click on images) and label's (click on label name) websites.

Synethsis is as much an instrumental album--perhaps even moreso--as it is vocal. Enthusiasts of Yanni, Rick Wakeman, Kitaro will be as excited with the project as fans of Adiemus, Enya and the like. But it is the harder, metal-edged progressive bits that truly make this an incredible work of global proportions. Clearly worth a trans-Atlantic journey, it is a must listen!

Musical Discoveries, January 2003.

The more I play it the better it gets... and it was phenomenal to start with!
If I tell you that in the first two tracks alone you'll hear the most amazing
music that you've heard in a long, long while, music that is so much Mike
Oldfield, music that is so powerful that it is unafraid to throw in
full-blown choirs, swathes of electronics, piano that sounds like the guy's
playing it with lead-lined gloves, strings, thunderous drum rhythms, searing
electric guitar and something that for all the world is actually where Mike
Oldfield SHOULD be right now, then I think you will realise that here we have
something very special indeed. The four minute title track, the second track
on the album, is one of those tracks that seems to pass in a flash, yet is so
good you just have to keep playing it again and again and again - and that's
before you've found that the rest of the album lives up to the dizzy heights
of this stunning piece of music - listen to me - THIS REALLY IS THAT HOT!!!
The album is a sort of mix of Mike Oldfield, Mark Shreeve, Moodswings and
Stravinsky, much of it having the feel and sound of some kind of grand
soundtrack, the sort of powerful music that accompanies cinematic images of
vast armies gathered together on a dark and stormy night as the battle
commences and the swords fly. Throughout the album, the sheer overwhelming sense of listening to something so moving, so spectacular, so epic and yet so incredibly well crafted, is almost mind-blowing. The melodies are hot, as are the choirs, the astounding guitar work and the huge, huge rhythms that are carved into the musical rock face. There is a beautifully delivered sense of dynamics that produces sections of immense might one minute and delicate keyboard-led, effects-fed beauty the next, before raging into yet another storm force slice of majestic power as guitars, strings, drums and epic overtures, all mingle to create passages that will leave you in absolute awe of what you are hearing. This is truly music of epic proportions and, as I said, the more you hear it the better it gets - this is one of those albums that will live on and on and on - it will sound as good in ten years time as it does today - special, spectacular and stunning - you have to own this
album!

Dave Shoesmith, CD Services, UK. Listopad 2002. 

Kayanis : Synesthesis

  A dynamic album. Different form his previous album. Ambient music, mixed togheter with synth themes, rock themes. An album which is more in the direction of symphonic rock. Compare it with the music of Mike Oldfield and Cirque Du Soleil. Troughout the album you have also a mix of strings and choral voices. Completely different from the normal EM scene. Progressive, slow and fast are mixed togheter in different layers and tones. This album is a storie on itself. Piano, folk, rock and guitar are just playing near each. It's colorfull and has a varied style. Music people loves. I saw it on the 9th Alfa Centauri Festival and I loved it. If you like special EM, take this CD in you collection. It's worth to buy it. - Sven Cipido for ELECTRON e-zine.