For the new mixtape polish electronic jazz duo Skalpel brings a selection of the main inspirations behind their music.

Skalpel, originally from Wrocław are DJs, musicians and record producers, Marcin Cichy and Igor Pudło, who have been making music since the late nineties. Their musical style is a distinctive blend of local, traditional jazz inspirations and new electronica. Citing influences from the likes of Miles Davis, leftfield avant-garde, minimal, the duo alludes to roots in Polish jazz and trip-hop. This particular mixture caught the interest of Ninja Tune, the legendary record label founded by Matt Black and Jonathan More (aka Coldcut), where they released two albums: ‘ Skalpel ’ and ‘ Konfusion ’ gaining recognition worldwide. They became one of the first polish DJs to get recognition abroad. This year they released their third album in NoPaper Records/!K7, HIGHLIGHT, which has marked a significant shift in their creative technique, a shift away from samples to virtual instruments.

For this mixtape, they want to portray their main inspirations: 'This is our origin story. Artist inspired by hip-hop and jazz such as The Herbaliser, Amon Tobin, Madlib and Jimi Tenor. Pioneers like Pierre Henry, David Axelrod production and Vangelis. And a section of Polish fusion, soul, avant-garde and broken beat including our postmortem collaboration with outstanding drummer Jacek Olter. Stylistically and technically this mix is ​​inspired by the Solid Steel Radio Show - so it's archaeological digging in the crate. Some tracks are heavily edited some are blended (Sandy Nelson with Johann Johannsson and Penderecki) and the whole mix is ​​a journey into the sound.'

Tracklist:

Pierre Henry and Michel Colombier - Masse Pour Le Temps Present - Prologue (Philips)

Krzysztof Scieranski – ‘Wieloryb Basawy’ (Poljazz)

The Cinematic Orchestra – ‘Diabolous’ (Ninja Tune)

David McCallum – ‘House of Mirrors’ (Capitol)

The Cinematic Orchestra – ‘Continuum’ (Ninja tune)

Vangelis – ‘Hypothesis’ (part 1) (Affinity)

The Herbaliser – ‘Mrs Chombee Takes The Plunge’ (DJ Food Re-Bake) (Ninja Tune)

Wendy Carlos – ‘Fall’ (CBS)

Vangelis – ‘Hypothesis’ (part 2) (Affinity)

Niemen Enigmatic – ‘Kwiaty Ojczyste’ (Skalpel edit) (Polskie Nagrania)

Skalpel & Jacek Olter – ‘Zero Gravity’ (Polskie Radio)

Jimi Tenor & UMO –‘Sahkoinen Lali’ (Herakles Records)

DJ Cam – ‘Voodoo Jazz’ (Inflamable Records)

Zura – ‘Waz Fryzjerki’ (U Know Me Records)

Amon Tobin – ‘Fast Eddie’ (Ninja Tune)

Sandy Nelson – ‘Beat From Another World’ (Sunset)

Johann Johansson – ‘Xenoanthropology’ (Deutsche Grammophon)

Krzysztof Penderecki – ‘Dimensions Of Time And Silence’ (Polskie Nagrania)

Medeski Martin & Wood – ‘Pappy Check’ (Blue Note)

Madlib – ‘Slim’s Return’ (Blue Note)

Jimi Tenor & UMO – ‘Ghost Warrior’ (Herakles Records)

H.P. Lovecraft feat Ken Nordine – ‘Nothing’s Boy’ (Philips)