Barrus is the alias of Polish guitarist and music producer, Rafał Lipka. His creative journey began in 2010 in Olsztyn as a co-founder of the Thrash Metal band Eyewash.
In 2018, the band split up and Rafał fully devoted himself to his solo project. In the same year, he released a demo “surcease” and two years later, the debut album “DPDR,” featuring six instrumental tracks spanning the genres of Art/Atmospheric/Progressive Rock.
His the newest song, titled “Wilk” (eng. Wolf), is the first foretaste of the upcoming album “The Kids.” This project marks the debut of vocals in Barrus‘s discography, adding a deeper dimension to his artistic expression.
Watch the official video for the track “Wilk” through the YouTube player below:
The album takes its name from the second track on the record, which explores the theme of abandoning one’s inner children. In this context, they serve as a metaphor for all kinds of fears, pains, or wounds that we carry within ourselves. In the pursuit of being “adults,” we desperately reject that part of ourselves which is no different from a small child, in need of warmth, love, and understanding. We approach negative emotions like pathological parents, abandoning them in an internal orphanage, washing our hands of their existence.
The lyrics on the album partly describe and raise awareness of such repression or its consequences. Through this, the author provides his metaphorical inner children with care and space for understanding, offering them a new home.
The music on the album combines alternative, art rock, and downtempo genres. The sonic foundation is a gritty-sounding electric guitar and vocals, often appearing in harmonious arrangements. However, “The Kids” doesn’t stick to a static instrumentation. The album features a classic lineup (guitar, bass, drums, Rhodes, synthesizers), as well as unconventional electronic beats sampled from everyday objects such as a tobacco heater, water droplets, or a creaky chair.
“The Kids” is an album that resembles more of a narrative than party bangers or background music for conversations. It serves as a soundtrack for moments when you feel down and need someone to clothe your emotions in melody and abstraction.
Leader comments: “This is a song about passing, more precisely, about the passing of our loved ones. It narrates the moment of irrational denial of the fact that this person will never return. The lyrics for this piece were written a few days after the death of someone very close to me. When I recorded the initial draft of the song, I began searching through my notes for a fitting lyrics and came across “Wilk” (The Wolf). The lyrics ultimately harmonized with the instrumental, capturing the atmosphere of fear in the face of freshly experienced grief.“
Music for this release was recorded and mixed by the project leader – Rafał Lipka, while the mastering was done by Marvin at Tide Studio Lodon (Tableau Mort, Phantom Horde). The single’s cover was created by Rafał Lipka. New album titled “The Kids” will be released digitally this spring.
Song “Wilk” on streaming platforms: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/barrus/wilk
Purchase the track on Bandcamp: https://barrus.bandcamp.com/track/wilk
Tracklist:
01. Dream Bible
02. The Kids
03. SIarka
04. Zgliszcza
05. Wilk
06. Brak
07. Ghost
08. The Barrus
09. Postrain
