Search - Lunatic Soul :: Lunatic Soul

First solo project from Riverside's lead vocal and Bass play

J. Hort | Kissimmee, Florida USA | 11/14/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mariusz Duda the lead vocal and bass player of the Polish Prog Band "Riverside" creates a laid back softer feel on his first solo project. The sound is excellent and has the dark mystic groove that is his staple, Lunatic Soul revolves in insights about death and how we face it. Most is quite good with good variety. Note that their is no electric guitar played on this record, great bass though. I recommend this to anyone that enjoys Riverside, Porcupine Tree, Pink Floyd and the likes.

"

Words fail me.

Murat Batmaz | Istanbul, Turkey | 04/05/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Lunatic Soul is a new outlet for vocalist/bassist Mariusz Duda to express himself and experiment with different sounds and songwriting systems. It differs vastly from Riverside, and rightly so. I have always believed that artists' solo projects should operate outside of the patterns of their respective bands, and in that aspect Lunatic Soul does not disappoint me.



Built around largely acoustic and psychedelic sounds, the album maintains a mellow flow, leading to plenty of instrumental breaks and making use of a wide array of instrumentation. The absence of electric guitars has given way to myriad synth textures, performed brilliantly by both Riverside keyboardist Michal Lapaj and the insanely versatile Maciej Szelenbaum, who is also credited as a songwriter on some of the tunes. Besides keyboards, he contributes piano, harmonica, and flute as well to broaden the width of the compositions, best noted on "The New Beginning," which stands out for his subdued flute arrangement alongside Duda's soft, fragile whisper-like singing.



Those familiar with Indukti know how diverse the drumming on their songs is. Wawrzyniec Dramowicz provides the ethnic percussion and tribal drum beats to great effect, deepening the essence of "Summerland" where Duda's vocal lines constantly shift from Porcupine Tree-like processed parts to clean, dark vocalizations. There is more -- the dramatic finale of the beautifully performed "Out on a Limb," where a female voice softy cries beneath the ubiquitous acoustic guitars transpires atmosphere matched only by those like Ulver.



For lack of a more apt comparison, parts of the album recall Opeth's Damnation, utilising a blend of Hammond organs, eerie percussion, and throbbing bass lines. This all culminates in a thick soundscape punctuated with dark themes and lyrics which revolve around the theme of death and afterlife. None of the tunes actually 'rock' in the sense of Riverside, but all of them are painstakingly composed, hardly containing Duda's restrained vocal outbursts on the title track. Though, on the whole, the album retains its dreamy feel and pace, best highlighted on the multi-textured "Adrift," complete with a pretty e-bow motif courtesy of Quidam guitarist Maciej Meller. The way the tune grows from minimal acoustic passages to a huge yet strangely soothing and beautiful soundworld proves that Duda is a masterful songwriter.



It would be a shame if this remained a one-off project."

Like Soaring Through A Dream

Kurt Harding | Boerne TX | 07/04/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Though I liked Lunatic Soul from the start, it took me many listens to really appreciate the kind of atmospheric album Riverside frontman Mariusz Duda has put together here. There is just so much going on that you can't possibly drink it all in the first time through.

Jazz guitarist Al DiMeola once issued a magnificent album most aptly entitled Soaring Through A Dream. Though the music on Lunatic Soul has no connection to DiMeola's style and musical vision, a comparison here wouldn't be a stretch because soaring through a dream is precisely the feeling you get when you kick back and listen to this!

To me, Duda's expressive voice is often eerily evocative of that of the Moody Blues' Justin Hayward and that makes it eminently suited to the introspection-inducing atmosphere established here. I like the entire album but I most enjoy Out On A Limb, the title cut, Adrift, and the powerful climax, The Final Truth.

The CD comes attractively packaged and includes a multi-fold booklet that contains pertinent album information and importantly, the lyrics. If you are searching for something new and exciting to listen to, check out Lunatic Soul. You should not be disappointed."