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Aug 03, 2015 By Laura Studarus Enchanted Hunters

It’s ALMOST time. Later this week we’ll be heading to OFF Festival in Katowice, Poland. (Run the Jewels, Colleen Green, Patti Smith—we’re coming for you!) Sending us off is one last entry in our Polish bands mixtape series, this time from dream folk group, Enchanted Hunters. They call this blend Summer in Hel.

“Contrary to what you may imagine, Hel is actually a peninsula and a popular holiday destination in Poland,” says the band. “We’re happy to present you a selection of the best Polish songs to listen to on a lazy seaside afternoon. Old stuff, new stuff, pop, funk, underground. We also sneaked in two of our own songs. Hope you enjoy it!”

Listen below. You can also revisit the previous mixes in our OFF series from Innercity Ensemble, Coals, Sutari, and Dog Whistle. If you’re also on your way to Poland, you can mind-meld with all the OFF Festival info here.

Enchanted Hunters Mixtape (OFF Festival Edition) by Under The Radar Mag on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

1. Księżyc: Klepana - This is a cult band. Klepana is from their 1996 self-titled album, a brilliant record; they played freak folk long before the whole craze started, had a beautiful lo-fi sound, awesomely arranged vocals and eerie Slavic vibe.

2. Sorja Morja: Nowy Utwór - We’re actually friends with Szymon and Ewa. We adore Sorja’s songwriting. This track is an elaborate puzzle dressed up as synthpop. I feel like they’re continuing this line of sophisticated pop songs which we had in 80s Poland (such as some of the tracks below).

3. Anna Jurksztowicz: Video Dotyk - It’s like the Polish version of Madonna but with more intriguing chord changes (check out the chorus!). Listen to her other great singles Hej, Man! or Stan Pogody.

4. Andrzej Zaucha: Nas nie rozdzieli - Funky pop song from the 80s with a smooth, classy chorus. Zaucha was one of the best Polish singers ever and a huge star. He sang jazz, soul, pop. Shot dead by his lover’s husband. Truly a legend.

5. Enchanted Hunters: Topielica - Magda’s first attempt at Polish lyrics and the first song written solely by her. It’s about the pleasure of drowning in a pool and letting go. With a bossa nova vibe and choir of sirens accompanying the drowning girl.

6. Papa Dance: In Flagranti - And we’re back to 80s/omg-what-a-chorus pop. For some reason this band is still considered tacky and kitsch, and we have no idea why. They had a lot of great singles and at least two awesome albums. The compositions are very pleasurable yet complex, and the lyrics are witty. Papsi forever!

7. Ewa Bem: I co z tego dziś masz - The voice of young Ewa Bem sounds so cool. The vocal line is perfection. And we appreciate the fact that they made a great, light sounding song out of very dramatic chords. Not an easy feat.

8. Kristen: An Accident - These guys are our friends. Actually, if it wasn’t for Michał Biela (the singer), Enchanted Hunters might never have happened. He encouraged us to play our first gig. In our humble opinion, Kristen is the best guitar band in Poland. They’re masters of developing single motives and incorporating noise into their music, without ever being boring. They also play killer live shows.

9. Enchanted Hunters: Sonny - It’s our band in a pill. You have some folky instruments, lo-fi sounding keyboards, vocal harmonies and elements of polyphonic composition. And a general dreamy atmosphere.

10. Adam Repucha: Zabierz mnie do morza - From the folky singer-songwriters that appeared in late noughties, he was the first and the best. Impeccable fingerstyle, beautiful compositions, great voice and lyrics. Adam is a real deal.

11. Olivier Heim: A Different Life - Another fellow musician. An American-born Dutch who chose to live in Warsaw and recently released an awesome album. Must check it out.

12. Better Person: I Wake Up Tired - Adam Byczkowski a.k.a. Better Person. One of the best guys to talk about music to. We love R&B and slow jams, and this one is just on point.

13. Syny: Wkurw - Pity for non-Polish speakers. The lyrics are brilliant. But the beat also kicks ass.

14. Jerz Igor: Królewicz - Jerzy Rogiewicz and Igor Nikiforow recorded an album for little kids, and it’s amazing. If every kid in Poland grew up listening to this, our musical culture would be in a much better shape! Królewicz is a charming lullaby. Sleep tight!

(www.facebook.com/offfestival)

(www.off-festival.pl)

(www.facebook.com/EnchantedHunters)

(www.enchantedhunters.bandcamp.com)