The process of sitting down to review this album has been a bittersweet endeavor, to say the least. Those of you who follow our website may recall that we first featured Australian musician Szymon Borzestowski (Szymon) earlier this year along with the tragic story of how he lost his battle with depression two years ago. Since that time, Szymon’s family—in conjunction with EMI—have worked tirelessly to mix his recorded material and help to complete his debut album which we have here: Tigersapp. When trying to review an album critically, it can be difficult to extricate yourself from the heartbreaking knowledge of circumstance. In the end, we felt that the best way to honour Szymon is with honesty, and, with that, we can honestly say that Tigersapp is a work of pure beauty. With the decision to open the album with previously released single “Golden”, we're introduced to the spirited musicianship that echoes throughout this release, and, when it comes to the new offerings— whether with the dreamy notes of “Trojan Stalks”, or the playful beats of “Roma”— all of Szymon’s meticulous lyrical structures and distinctions are captured. The raw delivery adds an effectual charm to the work as a whole, especially on standout tracks “Runaway” and the previously released “Medusa”. Those familiar with Szymon's work will know that, in addition to being a vocalist, he was also a multi-instrumentalist. Having studied both saxophone and clarinet, he taught himself guitar, piano and basic production software in order to record music in his bedroom. Instrumental tracks on the album such as “Katyusha” and “Saigon” see Szymon flexing these predominantly self-taught skills in what is a staggering display of innovative musical composition, and the musical interludes, too, not only showcase his impressive talent, but help the album feel more cohesive as a whole and a worthy body of work that is representative of his ability overall. Szymon was once quoted saying that he wants his music to be timeless, and with the release of this intricate and endearing record, his aspiration has finally been realized. Tigersapp is now, and it will forever will be a project paying tribute to a brilliant creative mind. You can purchase Tigersapp on iTunes now.
Szymon