About Księżyc

Księżyc (Polish for "Moon") was a folk project from Poland, active in the 1990s. Members included Agata Harz (vocals), Katarzyna Smoluk (vocals), Robert Niziński (wind instruments, keyboards), Lechosław Polak (keyboards, lyrics) and Remigiusz Mazur-Hanaj (tapes, lyrics). The musicians themselves defined their music as psychedelic minimalistic folk, with lyrics related to the symbolism of the moon, seen as a symbol of femininity, mystery, transformation and death. Księżyc was founded in 1990 by three women, Agata Harz, Catherine Smoluk and Olga Nakonieczna (native Ukrainian), and initially was a female a cappella vocal trio, inspired by Slavic folk music from Ukraine, Bulgaria, Poland and Belarus. The formation changed in 1993: Olga Nakonieczna left, while Robert Niziński, Lechosław Polak and Remigiusz Mazur-Hanaj joined the group. This new line-up recorded the first single, titled "Nów" (New Moon). In autumn 1996 Księżyc released their only full-length album, simply titled "Księżyc". The music, still rooted in Slavic tradition, also brings to mind minimalist composers such as Philip Glass and Wim Mertens. All combined with fairy tales-inspired and surreal lyrics (written by Remigiusz Mazur-Hanaj), the collaboration of Wojcek Czern (Za Siódmą Górą), and the original handmade package. In 2004 Agata Harz and Remigiusz Mazur-Hanaj created Wędrowiec, a group performing improvised music inspired by Polish folk music.