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L.U.C – UNDERSTANDING POLAND 39/89

Marking the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II and the 20th anniversary of Poland regaining sovereignty, L.U.C — Łukasz Rostkowski — unveils his latest musical project.

AN EXTRAORDINARY ALBUM AND HISTORICAL SHOW

Released on the exact anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland, this album departs thematically from L.U.C’s earlier records, offering a moving, deeply personal journey through half a century of struggle against the totalitarian regimes of 1939–1989. L.U.C gives the floor entirely to historical figures, beginning with Józef Beck’s famous words and continuing through Stefan Starzyński and Władysław Gomułka to John Paul II, Tadeusz Mazowiecki and Lech Wałęsa. The music forms a backdrop, creating an extraordinary atmosphere that amplifies the voices of the past. Dawid Szczęsny’s scratching connects them directly with the present. This is less a conventional music album than an audio drama, built from selected quotations against superb musical accompaniment. I recommend sitting comfortably and listening in silence and concentration, through the best headphones available.

“Treat it like a film,” the creator suggests. As is often the case with L.U.C’s work, the album’s music is impossible to classify and extraordinarily colourful. This time, however, it is realised on an exceptional scale, ranging from classical and film music to jazz and trip-hop. Listening to authentic voices drawn from the Polish Radio Archive, woven into a 21st-century musical aesthetic through turntables and electronics, we rediscover shocking facts from the period in question.

It is an extraordinary history lesson without lecturing or subjective commentary, one that compels reflection when heard. It offers a journey into the depths of the past half-century and a challenge to stereotypical understandings of history: we must remember, not to hate Russians or Germans, but to learn through history how to make better decisions about the future, and to appreciate the beautiful mess in which we find ourselves living.

At a time when idiotic cartoon characters and cheap American action films are becoming our greatest heroes, our fascinating 39/89 story is fading from young people's consciousness. The time has come to present this history with pride, using the exciting possibilities of the 21st century. Personally, I believe this chapter of history could become Poland's finest export, says L.U.C. of the idea behind the album.