Szopa – The Prayerbook: Polish audio-visual artist Szopa (Damian Malecki) has released his conceptual new album ‘The Prayerbook’ , alongside the video for lead single ‘Reverse My Prayer‘.
The brand new offering will act as Szopa’s third album and a profound exploration of religion, devotion, authority and hierarchical structures. Fusing elements of electronica, darkwave and gothic pop and drawing inspiration from medieval church aesthetics, ‘The Prayerbook’ does not shy away from questioning institutions of faith. Szopa reflects on religious core values, contrasting them with his personal experiences of growing up in a small and highly religious community. At its core, the album contrasts fundamental values with Szopa’s personal experiences, observing the corruption and manipulation of scripture for egotistical purposes.
Szopa: “The overall theme of the album takes inspiration from medieval Roman-Catholicism. I use those themes to explore the ideas of social authority in the context of capitalism, as well as exploring religious devotion in contrast with devotion towards social figures, governments or hurtful ideologies.”
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Travelling between moments of light and dark, ‘The Prayerbook’ is an ambient soundscape of genres spread across twelve conceptual tracks ranging from the opening anthem ‘Gloria’, which features sound samples of the countryside mixed with tolling church bells, to lead single ‘Reverse My Prayer’ – a song about personal growth, shame and regret.
Szopa: “’Reverse My Prayer’ compares challenging our comfort zones and harmful beliefs to the process of abandoning religion. I think the two have a lot in common, there’s a lot at stake in both situations – our personal circumstances and dreams are very closely tied to our communities and support circles, friends, family. Being able to challenge your own belief and take action against what harms you is the ultimate sign of growth, but also one of the most difficult things you can do.”
First single ‘Where Do I Go’ (out now)featuring Cornish folk singer Kezia Warwoodis an electronic infusion with a driving beat tackling some big questions about life and death through Szopa’s thoughtful production. It kicks off with Warwood’s airy vocals over hazy synth textures. As the song builds, Szopa’s understated voice joins in as they ask ‘How do I know that once I’m gone my spirit will live on?’ Their contrasting vocal styles weave together in an eerie harmony, perfectly capturing the single’s contemplation about the temporary nature of our existence.
‘Holy Healer’ elaborates on the immersive concept with a focus on comparing famous modern day leaders to false prophets and evangelical healers, whilst other standouts include an almost unrecognisable cover of Judy Garland’s ‘Get Happy’, ‘Mercy’ inspired by the Netflix-documentary “Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey,” and ‘St. Camille’ which envisions an alternate religious universe.“I aimed to recreate the pathos of my childhood memories with St. Camille” says Szopa. ”I wanted to create an alternate, religious universe, in which St Camille’s purpose is to make people sick. ‘Once the sickness settled in, Saint Camille was smiling’”
Damian Malecki was born in Swiebodzin, a small town in Poland near the western border of Germany. With a keen interest in art, poetry and music since early childhood, he started playing the piano at the age of 16. After leaving his hometown in 2014 to study Psychology at the University of Derby, he moved to Sheffield in 2017 where production of his first album started, marking the beginning of “Szopa”.
The audio-visual artist has since released album ‘Hollow Trees’ in 2020 via Requiem Records, produced by Sheffield-based NORT, followed by sophomore album ‘Vital Organs’ in 2022. As deeply personal ‘The Prayerbook’ is scheduled for release August 16th, multitalented Szopa continues his poignant musical journey.
