What’s the story for WIDMA ?
“Widma” (“Spectres") is a concept album dedicated to late autumn, which in human life corresponds to old age. The subsequent songs lead the listener through the following stages of oldness and autumnal dying – from the first hoarfrost, the first gray hair, through the arrival of November darkness, loneliness, madness, up to the coming of winter - death.
The main theme of "Widma" is the absolute loneliness of a person on the verge of death. Solitude which has the face of an old woman. A woman whose life ended along with the death of all her relatives, with her children leaving, with losing her bond with the world. A woman who has nothing more left than her own mind, immersed in her lost past, giving her increasingly misleading visions, pushing her into madness. In all this dark and sad picture, however, lies the beauty of life well lived, the beauty of fragility, of inevitable passing. Despite my age - this topic is very close to me. Every year in November (and all "Widma" happen in November), this aspect awakens in me, once dormant, waiting for the onset of autumn darkness. For a moment I really become an old woman saying goodbye to a dying world, to her own life going away with the death of plants. Then I feel very clearly that one day it will not be only a temporary transformation. That after one November I will not come back and I will remain an old woman locked in her own head, in the realm of ghosts. Until death, which has always been inscribed in me, as in every other living being, waiting for his time. This is what "Widma" are about.
Are you day or night ?
I think I am both. In my opinion, every person has both dark and bright side. In my case, the dark one sometimes seems to dominate, but there is always a grain of light in my mind, even during the darkest moments. The reality is not only black and white. There is a whole range of grays around us and within us.
Why the name Ols ?
“Ols” is a Polish word for an alder forest growing on swamps and marshes.
In my music, I try to capture the atmosphere of those misty forests and the specific melancholy you can feel only in such environment. In the European culture, the swamps are associated with the demonic powers; the legends describe them as the home of specters, ghosts and devils, a dangerous, mysterious place. I was born in a small village surrounded by wetlands and marshes, and this environment had a huge impact on the development of my imagination. It created me as a person and I truly love it for that. My area, full of wetlands, marshes, streams, ponds and bogs, is an ideal place for a melancholic soul. Everlasting fog, mysterious alders, yellow irises glistening on wetlands, autumn songs of cranes – they all are still shaping my music and my perception of the reality, even if I’m far away from them.
Wet alder forests are my natural surroundings. Their unusual ambience is something I deeply admire, that’s why I decided to name my project after them.
What’s your top 5 albums of all time ?
Honestly – I am not able to choose my top 5. The list of my favourite albums is constantly changing, depending on my mood, the weather outside, the current season, things happening in my private life… I listen to a whole range of different artists representing different genres. The only thing I can say for sure, is that my favourite band is Agalloch. This one doesn’t change. I love all their albums. Now I think that my favourite is “Ashes Against The Grain” but tomorrow I might choose another one. My attitude towards the music is very dynamic.
In the shower or in the bath, do you sing ? If yes, your songs or those of others ?
I sing my melodies in the shower only when I’m composing a new material. This helps me to develop my songs. Apart from that, I rather sing the songs of other artists.
In studio, what was the atmosphere for your album ?...etc.…
Working alone is a big challenge, mainly because it takes a lot of time. I record at least over a dozen full vocal lines for each song, each doubled to make them sound better. There are always additional extras, some voices in the background, shouts and whispers - again, all times two. Flute, sopilka, pipes, drums, keys, guitars, various rattles etc. - the set of instruments increases or decreases depending on the song, but there is always a lot of them. Sometimes I need to improve some parts, remake them - which again consumes a lot of time. At the end, there are mixes, which are also very time-consuming and labor- intensive with so many paths. I assure you that it’s not easy to put it all together so that all lines are audible and sensibly balanced. Sometimes I get frustrated, but nevertheless I intend to stay with the formula of a one-woman project. The fact that I have full control over everything and I can do what I want, without any compromises, compensates for the hardships of lonely recording.
In terms of creation itself – it’s a spontaneous, somewhat chaotic process. Usually, I begin with recording of one motif that appeared in my head, and then I develop it into the main vocal. Later, I played this melody aloud and simultaneously I sing and record additional improvised vocal line. Then I repeat the process, to enclose the basic melody in at least few vocal layers. This is how I form the foundation, which is then enfolded with even more subsequent vocal and instrument lines. As of lyrics- I sometimes write them to the existing melody and sometimes - a melody to the existing lyrics. When the sketch of the song is prepared, I go to the studio to record it using professional equipment. During these recordings I often add new elements to the original version, modify the arrangement concept, change the instruments to other than I previously planned to use. In fact, until the mixes are finished, everything is very fluid and until the very last moment, it is difficult to say how the final version of the song might sound.
How the great design of the CD was achieved? and why this title ?
I happen to have very talented friends :-) One of them - Agnieszka Kowalska -is a photographer. She is the author of all the promotion photos, including those used as the graphics on the digipack itself. She specializes in wedding photography, so working with me enables her to do something completely different than usual. The ideas of the location of photo session, object used, cloths and make up are always mine. Agnieszka is translating my ideas into beautiful pictures.
My new album is titled “Widma”, which means “Spectres”. I chose this title, because it describes my vision of an old woman, sinking deeper and deeper into her own mind, visions of the lost past and grim future, where the death awaits her. Speaking of spectres, I meant these visions of the brain on a brink of death, bad thoughts pushing the old person into madness. I do not mean any supernatural beings. In my opinion, all the demons exist within the human psyche.
How was the shooting of the clip DRZEWA DAWNO ZMARLY ? and why this choice ?
There are 3 videos promoting my new album. Two of them – “Starucha” (“A Hag”) and “W ciemny las” (“Into a dark forest”) are placed in mythical timelessness, in the depths of the autumn forest, with me in the role of a dark witch. The video made to the song “Drzewa dawno zmarły” (The trees have long died) is more modern, presenting a "civilian" version of me, wearing my everyday clothes and make-up, showing up not only in the forest, but also against the background of buildings, even among the walls covered with graffiti. I decided on such a video to emphasize that I do not try to reconstruct history, I do not copy anything, and if I happen to have any traditional inspirations at all, I filter them through my very contemporary attitude to music and art in general. I am a modern person, with modern views and scientific approach to reality, but I am sure that this doesn’t prevent me from being a soulful poet at the same time. All the videos were recorded in the same location, in the forest near the place where I grew up. It turned out, that this place could play both the scenery with the ruined towers and industrial indoors, and the mythical forest where the witch is performing her dark rituals.
Would you like to work with any another artist ? If so who ?
I’m open to cooperation with other artists. On my new album, you can hear two guest musicians – my sister Olga, who appears as the guest vocalist in “Siostry” (“Sisters”) and Jakub “Zagreus” Olchawa, the guitarist from Polish black metal band Jarun, who plays in “Ukojenie” (“A Solace”).
I collaborated with other artists also outside of Ols project. In June you will be able to listen to the results of one of these enterprises, where I joined forces with the musician of Polish band ROSK in his ritual ambient side-project called Krzywdy.
Actually, I do not dream about working with any artist in particular. I would be happy to cooperate with almost anyone. Even if the music they perform is completely unlike mine. The collaboration with other musicians enables you to try new things, to learn new skills and gain experience. The effects of such as venture are unpredictable and often give you a pleasant surprise. It’s always valuable to leave your comfort zone and discover new musical territories.
What do you expect from the future ?
I am aware that my music is not for everybody, so I have rather realistic views of the future. I’m glad that I started the cooperation with Pagan Records label, as it gave me the opportunity to reach the bigger group of potential listeners. Thanks to this cooperation, the reviews of my album appear in many magazines across the world, and more and more people can discover my art. I do not have any special expectations. For me the most important thing is to find the people who would really understand and feel my music. It doesn’t matter if there will be millions or just a few. Being understood and appreciated as an artist is what I am truly looking for.
Website to remember
You can find me on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/pg/Olsproject
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/ols_music
and Bandcamp : https://olsproject.bandcamp.com/
What would you like to say to the readers ?
I would like to invite you all to join me in the dark surreal journey to the heart of the November forest. I hope you will find some magic there.
Thanks for the upkeep
Hugues B.
