Scianka

Biography

The experimental space rock band Scianka was formed in Sopot, Poland, in November 1994 by vocalist/guitarist Maciej Cieslak, bassist Wojciech Michalowski, and drummer Arkady Kowalczyk. In 1996, the trio had been expanded with keyboardist Jacek Lachowicz, and Vietnamese Tran Chi, replacing Michalowski. Being different from the yass scene that monopolized the TriCity alternative environment in the mid-'90s, Scianka quickly gained popularity. The band started giving concerts in Sopot and appeared on a series of compilation albums attached to nation-wide magazines. In 1998, the band recorded their debut album Statek Kosmiczny, which, without any promotional single releases, became not only a commercial and artistic success, but also brought them two nominations for prizes from the Polish music industry Fryderyki. Soon after the release, Tran Chi left the band and Andrzej Koczan joined the lineup. In February 2001, Scianka issued a second album, Dni Wiatru. Late that year in August, Slawa, a covers EP, was released. Cieslak, Lachowicz, and Kowalczyk, along with Myslovitz, Artur Rojek, and Negatyw's Mietall Walus took part in the one-album project Lenny Valentino, which resulted in a critically praised 2001 full-length album, Uwaga! Jedzie Tramwaj. In 2002, Scianka issued Biale Wakacje promoted with a self-titled video clip that won a prize at the Yach Film Festival. The second EP, Harfa Traw, appeared a few months later. Aside from their regular music recordings, the band worked with theaters, creating background music for performances and providing a soundtrack for such movies as Einstein's Pancernik Patiomkin, which was shown at the New Horizons Festival 2003 held in Cieszyn. In 2005, Lachowicz and Koczan left the band. Still, they appeared on Pan Planeta in April of 2006. Scianka added a new bassist -- Michal Biela from Kristen -- who, with Ireneusz Wojtczak and Timasz Zitek, and using the name of Scianka Quintet, crafted the jazz-oriented score for a non-existent movie titled Secret Sister EP, which was distributed exclusively on their tours. In May 2007, Scianka recorded their cover version of Joy Division's "She's Lost Control," which turned up on the compilation Warszawa: Tribute to Joy Division. ~ Aleksander Stepien, All Music Guide