According to Metro, they are combining post-punk and psych with skill. “The Beatles sing Joy Division oversimplifies them but doesn’t misrepresent them”. According to The Guardian, “the band’s music blends off-kilter melodies, dense instrumentation and lyrical explorations of the darkest side of the human condition”. The Times compares them to Sonic Youth, Radiohead and the Manchester scene in the 80s. According to Mojo, their “gripping and energetic record packs a serious punch”. KEXP highlights “ominous guitars, stern rhythms and haunting melodies” and The Quietus agrees. These quotes sound like a review of the Mercury Prize winning album. In reality, the authors of these reviews are singing Of the Sun’s praises, which is the latest album recorded by the acclaimed Gdansk art-rock band Trupa Trupa. When big Western agencies, festivals and media take interest in artists from the Central and Eastern Europe region, it’s definitely a good sign for the local scene as well. As Pitchfork describes, “Trupa Trupa are the rare dystopian post-punk band to embrace optimism and levity as necessary survival mechanisms. They may not have the perfect prescription for a better world, but they welcome you to imagine one together”. This invitation applies to the Pohoda 2021 visitors as well.
