Szymon Borzestowski of Newcastle, Australia wrote and recorded an album a few years ago. He was dedicated to his music, but he was never able to release the record himself, despite being the only artist that worked on it. (I brought this up on the podcast a few months ago when the album was released last summer:) In 2012, Szymon unfortunately lost a battle with depression and took his own life. Three years later, his family and close friends have curated the music that he had created into Tigersapp, one of the richest soundscapes I’ve heard in quite a while.
It goes without saying that much of Borzestowski’s music was an expression of his state of mind. The lyrics are breathtakingly poetic and have such a heavy weight. The record begins helplessly, “O speck of dust, solitary/ making it seem so easy.” The parallel of this line and the opening line of Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s II is spooky; not only are they similar in sentiment, but also in harsh reality. “Isolation can put a gun in your hand…”
What’s fascinating about this record is that the brightest guitar hooks and synth progressions back such distressing emotions. This LP is a sonic foil to Sufjan’s Carrie and Lowell, which wallowed in its emotion. Tigersapp channels that depression into something truly wonderful. The rhythm is always racing at a danceable clip; “Trojan Stalks” may have been the quickest track (with lyrics) on the record, but it also has the best evidence of Borzestowski’s charming lyricism:
“Out where the trees burn The obfuscations that they churn Torrential, overdrive, to swim you dive You’ve stirred a big bee-hive”
Strategic distortion threads its way through this record, from start to finish. To that end, I would have loved to see “Runaway” performed live to see him live mix the spiral of vocal manipulation during the verses. And I have actually heard elephants in the horns on “Zoo Story.” The guitar work throughout the album is also remarkable- take the sensual melody in “Saigon” or the twinkling progression in “Locks,” which even brings to mind “Hong Kong” by Gorillaz. It’s been said that music is becoming more homogeneous, but Tigersapp is a completely unique body of music. Just another reason to revoke the mainstream.
Szymon’s family partnered up with Eloper Records in order to finally release his music last August. On their website, this quote is attributed to Szymon’s name: “I want my music to be timeless.” Though he wasn’t here to share it with us, his memory will always live on through his art. For so long, it was his world, and now we are lucky to share it with him.
Sawdust & Gin 