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Poland’s Träume craft their sound from their roots with such legendary 80s punk and new wave bands as Siekiera and Zbombardowane Laleczki. In Soviet Poland all underground music scenes came together no matter the sound, united by a need to make art that countered the oppressive regime controlling the country. On top of that, most punk and hardcore was smuggled through the Iron Curtain from badly recorded cassette tapes, so things evolved organically and with their own interpretation. This can be seen most clearly on the infamous Polish Punk compilation ‘Fala’, meaning wave. Taking this history, Träume are the descendents of this sound, bringing tuneful new wave elements to a punk beat, whilst speaking of the politics of our days through folk metaphors such as in Kraina Snów (Land of Dreams). To wrzask, to punk kurwa.
Credits:
Träume is…
Dorka - vocals
Królik - guitar
Krzysiu - bass
Ignacy - drums
Recorded by Rafał Wiewiór at Salka, Warszawa in March 2024
Mix, master by Rafał Wiewiór
Back cover and insert by Królik
Front Cover by Susy Varty, from The Brass Lip Zine, 1979
Pressing Information
400 on Black and white splat vinyl
Comes with black and white outer card sleeve and square insert
‘Wstyd’ by Post Regiment is featured as a hidden track on the physical vinyl only
Our take: Quality Control HQ brings us the debut LP from this Polish punk band who fuses their country’s tradition of intricate yet hooky punk with the stripped-down drive of contemporary hardcore. Those of us who have spent time appreciating classic Polish punk bands like Dezerter, Siekiera, and Post Regiment will certainly hear the through line in Traume’s music, particularly in the guitarist’s dense, intricate riffing style, the rhythm section’s blistering yet agile grooves, and the singer’s ability to balance hooks and aggression. Of the classic Polish bands I know, Post Regiment is the most obvious point of comparison for Traume (they even cover the Post Regiment song “Wstyd,” which is a vinyl-only bonus track on Wrzask), since their singer sounds a lot like Dominika from Post Regiment in places. Traume also share Post Regiment’s rhythmic precision and density, but the way they can also bludgeon you with simple and fast pogo rhythms and driving, down-stroked riffs in the S.H.I.T. school feels totally modern. And as with Siekiera and Dezerter, the guitarist has a way of taking angular post-punk-inspired riffing and squeezing it into hardcore’s faster, more charging rhythms, which (as with those older bands) is a thrilling combination. The songs themselves are sturdy, well-constructed, and engaging, and will keep you listening whether or not you appreciate the influences Traume’s sound draws from.