Daniel Szwed – Standard Cap (Digital/CD Album – Rope Worm)
Polish artist Daniel Szwed originally released “Standard Cap” in 2024 as a cassette on Hiss Collective. The work remained under the radar for many listeners but is now being given a new opportunity through this CD format, marking the artist’s second opus to be released by Rope Worm.
Daniel Szwed takes us into a sonic universe where he freely experiments with repetitive noise loops and a wide range of distorted sounds. It often feels like improvisation, yet the overall result remains coherent. What I find particularly compelling about this work is that the Noise elements never descend into a mere wall of sound. This is not chaos, but a carefully constructed composition in which the different elements can be clearly distinguished. For instance, distant screaming voices echo through the mix, enhancing a sense of terror, while other passages are built around explicit Industrial influences.
Reissuing this album on CD is, in my view, a very successful decision, and I am convinced that “Standard Cap” will now reach new listeners in search of something truly unconventional. (Rating:8).
Listen to “Standard Cap 5”:
About Daniel Szwed
Daniel Szwed is a Polish artist based in Poznań. He co-founded the audiovisual duo BNNT with Konrad Smoleński, active in sound and image since 2008, before moving into solo work built around a deliberately minimal setup, electrified drums and technoid, metallic textures.
“Standard Cap” first appeared in 2024 as a cassette on Hiss Collective. Its reissue on CD is Szwed’s second release for the Rope Worm label.
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