By Charles Thompson
You there! Are you a miserable person? Do you hate fun? Do you have terrible taste? Then you’ll fucking hate this music. Wykopki (excavations) is–for this reviewer–an especially noteworthy 2023 EP, hailing from Polish duo Frank Warzywa (Franky Vegetables) and Młody Budda (Young Buddha). These sonic sowers have retrieved fresh from Poland’s fertile soil a neat 14-minute treatise on such things as potato based patriotism and oversized tomatoes; if the promise of a foray in agricultural excellence doesn’t compel you, the sound itself will. These artists prepare for your ears a well tossed salad of pop, math rock/midwest emo, hip hop, various electronic elements, and even folk accents, glazed in a refreshing balsamic of complex and layered production perfect for satisfying an overstimulated brain addled by short form video content.
Though you’ll doubtfully understand nor even be able to pronounce any of the lyrics (sans the helpful translations provided on their youtube channel), your singing along is inevitable. Memorable vocal deliveries are rendered in gentle song, chuckles, screams, and autotune–replicating the magic of watching a friend “cook” in the studio: all of which compels your apprehension of the Polish language. Each Song traverses a resplendent sonic landscape evoking bucolic pastures and rapturous nightclubs, making even three minute songs resemble transportive prog rock ballads. If I had to make a direct comparison, this EP sits somewhere between American Football, Kero Kero Bonito, and Sweet Trip (with maybe a tiny dash of the How to Train Your Dragon soundtrack for good measure). Some personal highlights of the album would be the soaring final moments of “Świeto Ziemniaka” (Potato Festival), the unremittingly catchy chorus of “Duźa Głowa” (Big Head), and the exhilarating progression of the titular “Wykopki”. On a final note, this EP simply brims with warm and genuine enthusiasm, so if nothing else, I’m sure it will provide a smile if you need one today.
the paper 