Chopin without piano: Szypura with musicians from Portishead, Sonic Youth, Helmet

Mariusz Szypura, a Polish musician, has unveiled his latest album, "Chopin Residue," a project distinguished by its ambitious collaborations with a constellation of international alternative music legends. The album features contributions from artists such as Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, Adrian Utley from Portishead, and John Stanier of Helmet, among many other notable figures from the global music scene.

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When the concept of the album began to crystallize, I talked with my wife Agnieszka about the musicians I needed for the recordings. I was naming colleagues I usually work with. Then Agnieszka asked: what if you could play with any musician in the world you dream of – who would you play with?

The genesis of the project stemmed from a conversation with his wife, Agnieszka, who encouraged Szypura to reach out to any musician he dreamed of working with. This pivotal moment shifted his perspective, leading him to contact artists who had significantly shaped his musical taste. The initial positive responses from Lee Ranaldo and Joe Waronker (known for his work with Beck and Air) paved the way for securing contributions from other esteemed musicians.

"Chopin Residue" is not only a showcase of Szypura's artistic vision but also a testament to innovative audio production. Szypura recently presented an immersive version of the album in Copenhagen at a conference hosted by the Audio Engineering Society (AES). He collaborated with Grammy-winning producers Morten Lindberg and Michael Romanowski, who were instrumental in creating a spatial audio experience that was developed from the initial recording stages.

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It completely changed the perspective of thinking about this project. I started with Lee Ranaldo and Joe Waronker – one of my favorite drummers, known for his work with Beck, Air, and Thom Yorke, whose samples I used on the album 'Infinity Fidelity'. They liked what I sent, and then with such names 'on board,' it was much easier to get the rest.

This immersive presentation allowed top audio engineering specialists to witness firsthand the complex process of translating Szypura's concept into a multi-dimensional soundscape. The project's scale, with some tracks involving over 200 stems, underscores a deliberate focus on spatial thinking from the outset, pushing the boundaries of contemporary music production.

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More accurately, I accompanied them, because they invited me as the main speakers for the AES conference – Audio Engineering Society. There was a panel dedicated to my album 'Chopin Residue,' because I had previously managed to convince these two masters to create an immersive version of this release together.