Let's get this out of the way early: I, like many others (on this side of the Atlantic, at least), discovered the work of Daniel Spaleniak during my viewing of the Netflix original series
Ozark. Episode #2 features a sequence containing several cinematic shots of the borderline-desolate Ozark mountain town to which our protagonist, Marty Byrde, and his family have recently been forced to relocate. It was truly a perfect song choice for the sequence, not only in that the lyrics lament a lost lover while Byrde (portrayed wonderfully by Jason Bateman) continues to cope with his wife's infidelity, but also sonically, as Spaleniak's clean, bluesy guitar noodling and monotonous vocals help to reinforce the isolation into which our protagonist and his family has just been thrust.
As it turns out, Spaleniak has also had his music featured in the CBS series
Elementary, as well as the Hulu original series
The Path. So, how, you ask, has this barista-looking, 20-something, alt-indie folkster from Poland been featured in several American television series, but received little to no recognition elsewhere? Self-described on his Facebook and Soundcloud pages as "a combination of alternative rock, folk, and blues," Spaleniak has been releasing solo projects since 2011, with two EPs (
Twenty Minutes Break and
Memories) coming before his first full-length LP release in 2014 (
Dreamers). However, it is his most recent release,
Back Home, that best captures his unique ability to weave moods and atmospheres into his music, while also being his most refined release to date.
The overall tenor of
Back Home features a pensive, melancholy vibe. It's airy, brooding, and dark, but at the same time, it's warm (as shown on the aforementioned "Dear Love of Mine"). The foundation of this ambience lies in Spaleniak's sterile, barren guitar stylings (showcased wonderfully on the album's title track). Spaleniak's vocals, though generally confined in range, complement the guitar work beautifully, and help to establish a strangely comforting sense of isolation throughout the record. The instrumentation is fairly minimalistic, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, as Spaleniak has seemed to favor a "less is more" motif while crafting his music, even prior to this release.
You'd be hard pressed to find someone who refers to Spaleniak's music as groundbreaking - he certainly has a lane, and he stays well within it. In terms of comparisons to other artists, it would be easy to see where Spaleniak might draw influence from a number of other acts, such as Bon Iver and Radiohead. Spaleniak's vocals at times even seemed to invoke Maynard James Keenan's ("Liar's Blues" almost instantly made me recall Puscifer's "Momma Sed"). That being said, Spaleniak knows what type of music he wants to make, and he makes it well - consistency is certainly something to be appreciated.
Back Home isn't overly diverse or complex, and that's part of what makes it enjoyable. It's not a folk opus dripping with irony. At the very least, it's wonderfully crafted mood music. Rainy day? Give this a spin. Burning the midnight oil? Give this a spin. Is Daniel Spaleniak the recipient of your next 5/5 rating? Probably not, but he's certainly more than just music while the credits roll on television.
Recommended Tracks:
"Dear Love of Mine"
"Liar's Blues"
"Yes, I Think This is the End"
"Night"
