Thursday, June 23rd, 2016

Sylwia Grzeszczak – Tamta Dziewczyna

Finally, a Polish singer and… previous winner of best ringtone at the VIVA Comet Awards!


[Video][Website]
[5.57]
Anjy Ou: Sylwia Grzeszczak is a fantastic vocalist and pianist, but this composition feels a little disjointed. While the song and video use contrast as their primary device — the softness of the bridge versus the forceful choruses and verses, the soft boho look versus the mohawked punk rocker — the horns still feel out of place. They indicate an Eastern European folk music influence, which makes for an intriguing listen, but I would have traded them for more aggressive drums — more suitable for doing wheelies in your ex-boyfriend’s car holding burning torches.
[6]

Cassy Gress: If I’m reading this right, this is about the powerful, fearless girl she used to be, and the man she is singing to is the reason she’s no longer that way? If so, thumbs up for the message, but the construction of the song feels strange: C minor verse, E minor chorus? She has an almost diva-esque quality to her voice in the choruses, but she sounds dampened and a bit uncomfortable on those “aaaaah”s immediately after. The brass hits later, in the quieter parts of the song, sound jarring more than empowering — this needs a downtempo remix.
[5]

Edward Okulicz: Slavic consonant blends are frequently orgasmic, but the middle section with the pizzicatto strings, music box bells and fingernail taps makes me think that she should have taken one thing off the track before she left the studio. I’d be raving like a maniac if this sort of all-over-the-shop mishmash had been done by Shakira (and it so easily could be), but it sounds laboured rather than effortless.
[6]

Iain Mew: It wouldn’t be much without the elaborate arrangement, but that’s a needless hypothetical — the brass blasts and the way the song tiptoes to stillness and back are here and Grzeszczak is happy to let them be the most enjoyable bits, carefully avoiding her singing upstaging them.
[6]

Ryo Miyauchi: Her voice tip-toeing on various parts are a nice touch. but Grzaeszczak’s attempts for flair doesn’t quite mesh with her grey, dramatic pop. Horns and string pluck land as camp, which might be up someone else’s alley for fun, but I’m not convinced it’s what Grzaeszczak’s looking for.
[4]

Crystal Leww: “Tamta Dziewczyna” reminds me of the music from Broadway musicals: Grzeszczak is trying so hard to make me feel something, to evoke emotion and dramatics, but this goes too hard over the top that I can’t help but laugh. Trumpets? That little bit that goes soft and then loud again? The cadence of her singing? God, I feel like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s gonna bust out at any moment and talk to me about the separation of church and state.
[5]

Madeleine Lee: “Tamta Dziewczyna” is a song with only two things to say, but it says them with bombast and with brevity. I’m still not sure what to make of putting the modulation in front of the first chorus instead of towards the end, but in a way I’m glad for that placement, because it means the rest of the song can roll out its glorious parade uninterrupted.
[7]

Reader average: [5] (3 votes)

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