Brzdąkan's Poetry

"Poezja brząkana" ("Brąked Poetry") is value through subtraction. Subtracting excessive expectations of oneself and the world, subtracting the air from the embouchure, subtracting conventions that sometimes seem oppressive. Therefore, "Poezja brząkana" ("Brąked Poetry") is the perfect title for Ranko Ukulele's new album.

The album features previously released songs, some in new arrangements with more instruments. The track "To Może być mail" is completely new – a tango for ukulele, melodica, and double bass, but above all, a tango of hours unjustly wasted in meetings at work. This song will resonate with anyone who has ever had to sit through a pointless meeting, the content of which was inversely proportional to the number of words spoken. It's difficult to clearly define the genre to which the songs from "Poezja brzdąkana" ("Poetry of a Strumming") belong. On the one hand, they have elements of sung poetry and cabaret, sometimes veering more towards acoustic folk or even country music (the latter is particularly true of the new arrangements of "Krwiożerczy" and "Torba Cię jak życie" ("Cavernous Bag of Life").

Ranko is an artist from Poznań who began her music career as an internet phenomenon. Her simple and witty ukulele songs, published alongside humorous drawings she authored, have captured the hearts of listeners of all ages. As the artist says, "My songs are 'meme-worthy.' You can send them to friends with the note, 'Look, this song is about you!' I write about ordinary, often trivial, things and situations. Some are cheerful, others a little less so, and still others are completely absurd—just like life." Since the release of her previous album, "Marudne piosenki," in 2022, Ranko has been joined by multi-instrumentalist Paweł "Paweuke" Wojciechowski, known for his "solos on whatever comes up" (the album features, among others, "solo on a washing machine," "solo on a dug-up Poznań," and the sounds of a spoon hitting a plate full of broth), who also produces all the tracks. Last year, the duo performed at several major music festivals, such as 3May, Zew siębudzi and Great September, making Ranko Ukulele a project recognized not only among ukulele lovers, but also among many listeners of alternative music in general.