Jakub Knera

writing about music & culture ○ @thequietus ○ @polityka_pl ○ @dwutygodnik ○ RCKL ● digging into history of Gdańsk ○ Fundacja Palma ○ @ilangfuhr

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Articles

Co się stanie z gdyńskim Fyrtlem? Popularny klub podzieli los warszawskiego Pogłosu?

3 weeks ago | polityka.pl | Jakub Knera

Przyszłość kulturotwórczego klubu Fyrtel stoi pod znakiem zapytania. Urząd cofnął mu koncesję na sprzedaż alkoholu, która jest równoznaczna z brakiem możliwości funkcjonowania. Wraca pytanie: jak i dla kogo ma funkcjonować miasto? Historia wygląda podobnie jak w przypadku warszawskiego Pogłosu: w centrum miasta kwitnie życie, miejsce przyciąga ludzi, krzewi lokalną kulturę. Fyrtel powstał w 2018 r. jako skromna kawiarnia, która z czasem stała się sercem lokalnej sceny artystycznej i muzycznej.
Inner Ear: Serbian Music for April by Jakub Knera

2 months ago | thequietus.com | Jakub Knera |David McKenna |Patrick Clarke

Serbia is in the spotlight right now. In November 2024, the collapse of a newly renovated railway station roof in Novi Sad, which resulted in 15 deaths, ignited widespread protests across the country. This tragic event was attributed to government corruption and negligence, leading to public outrage. Initially led by university students, the demonstrations rapidly expanded to include various societal groups, all demanding accountability, transparency, and deep reforms.
Horse Lords Launch New Label, OMA Editions

2 months ago | thequietus.com | Christian Eede |Jakub Knera

Horse Lords have started a label, called OMA Editions. Founded by the trio of Andrew Bernstein, Max Eilbacher and Owen Gaertner, it follows their relocation from the US to Germany after the COVID-19 pandemic. The label starts with two solo releases: Shadows And Windy Places by Bernstein, and 7 Runs (In Arc Mental Styling) by Eilbacher.
The Strange World of… Susan Alcorn

Mar 5, 2025 | thequietus.com | John Doran |Jakub Knera

There is usually nothing out of the ordinary about watching musicians setting up instruments on stage. But with Susan Alcorn, it was different – when combining all of the elements of the pedal steel guitar to assemble a full instrument, she looked like a magician preparing her props before a show. The American composer didn’t choose the instrument with which she is most associated.
Nikolaienko – Love-Fidelity or Hiss Goodbye | The Quietus

Mar 4, 2025 | thequietus.com | Jakub Knera |Bobby Barry |Daryl Worthington

Moiré patterns are peculiar optical effects that occur when similar sets of lines or patterns are superposed onto each other. The same process is behind the wavy rainbow patterns that appear in photos sometimes. Relatedly, moiré is a term applied in textiles to describe rippled finishes. The word originates in the French for “watered”. The suggestion that something fixed is starting to behave like a liquid. Audible moiré patterns ripple through the music of Dmytro Nikolaienko.
Rockfort! French Music for January, Reviewed by David McKenna

Feb 5, 2025 | thequietus.com | Jennifer Lucy Allan |Jakub Knera |David McKenna |Patrick Clarke

While the days are still chilly and the nights long, I thought I would round up some Rockfort-centric viewing to both entertain and inform you while you’re staying cosy indoors. First up is Sebastien Dehesdin’s 2018 splendid short film La Nòvia, Bal Acoustique, which has recently been uploaded to YouTube and which can be viewed with English subtitles.
Wojciech Rusin – Honey for the Ants | The Quietus

Jan 31, 2025 | thequietus.com | Jakub Knera |Jennifer Lucy Allan |Bobby Barry |Miloš Hroch

Wojciech Rusin is an artist intent on introducing cracks into our carefully-built image of the medieval world. For some five years now, the Bristol-based Polish-born composer, sound artist and instrument builder has been working on a loose “alchemical trilogy”, fabricating new dark age soundscapes with his own invented pipes and whistles. Honey for the Ants marks the culmination of that cycle.
Inner Ear: The Best Central and Eastern European Music of 2024

Dec 10, 2024 | thequietus.com | Jakub Knera |Jennifer Lucy Allan |Patrick Clarke

“We need to talk”. I receive this message on Sunday morning in late October, and I’m at a loss as to what it’s about. Raphael Rogiński, whose concert I’ve co-organised for the same day at noon, is writing to me. Mystified, wondering if there’s something I’ve forgotten, I ask him what about. “We need to talk about music from Central and Eastern Europe. It’s important to talk about it now,” he says.
The Quietus International: Nyege Nyege Festival 2024

Dec 5, 2024 | thequietus.com | Jakub Knera |David McKenna |Patrick Clarke |Hannah Uguru

In Jinja, Uganda’s “adventure capital,” Nyege Nyege Festival stands as a vibrant meeting point where Afro-subversive cultures can thrive. Translating to “the irresistible urge to dance” in Luganda, the festival’s name captures the dynamic ethos of its four-day celebration: a diverse showcase of live music, experimental rhythms, and countercultural expression.
Tarta Relena – És pregunta | The Quietus

Nov 5, 2024 | thequietus.com | Bobby Barry |Jakub Knera

In 2022, I attended Tarta Relena’s Le Guess Who concert at Janskerk in Utrecht. Although most of the seats were taken, I managed to find a free one at the front. I believe being close to the artists made the experience different from being at the back. The polyphonic singing by Helena Ros and Marta Torrella took me on a journey through time and space, enhanced by the acoustics of the century-old sacred venue. Their performance circled the Mediterranean Sea, delving into its traditions and histories.