Laboratorium Piesni was formed in 2013 in Poland and is made up of seven women, Iwona Majszyk, Kamila Bigus, Karolina Stawiszyńska, Klaudia Lewandowska, Lila Schally-Kacprzak, Alina Klebba, and Magda Jurczyszyn. They sing ancient folk music passed down through generations from many countries across the globe, specifically from; the Ukraine, Balkans, Poland, Belarus, Georgia, Scandinavia, just to name a few. These traditional songs are brought from their homeland of origin by members of the group, they then work together to create an arrangement that brings new life to the folk music of the past while keeping the original integrity. Both the original and new version are sung in the traditional polyphonic way of singing creating an enchanting sound that resonates with modern day as much as when the songs were new. Most of the songs they sing are acapella, some are minimally accompanied by ethnic instruments adding a genuine touch. Shaman drums, a shruti box, kalimba, flute, gong, zaphire, koshi chimes, singing bowls, and rattles are some of the instruments used.
Laboratorium Piesni does more than just make albums and perform concerts. They hold musical workshops where they keep the stories and music from days gone alive in this new generation. Keeping history alive is very important to these women, passing on the music and poetry to generations that would otherwise never have known them. While doing this they also help ensure that the cultures of the world are not forgotten and continue to be passed down to new generations. During their theatre performances they use these traditional songs to tell stories about disappearing cultural rights and heritage.
While singing most songs acapella you would think it would be difficult to identify musical elements, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Even acapella you can easily find the harmonic texture known as polyphonic. Two or more independent melodies can easily be found while listening to Laboratorium Piesni. Another standout sound you can hear in the voices, a drone, much like the sound of bagpipes some of the singers maintain a single note while singing. Even the minimal accompaniment from different instruments adds a layer to the overall timbre of the music. From: https://priscillamusicf200x.wordpress.com/2019/03/11/a-musical-journey-with-laboratorium-piesni/
