Kinga Glyk, Real Life Review

Beyond the Bass: Kinga Glyk’s Real Life – A Fusion of Jazz, Funk, and Storytelling

by Ferell Aubre

Real Life, Kinga Glyk’s latest offering, shows her virtuosity as a bassist and her visionary scope as a composer and musician. Released on January 26, 2024, through Warner Music, this album is a culmination of her four-year musical journey. It presents twelve tracks of music infused with European jazz and American funk yet transcending these genres to create a unique narrative voice.

Recorded under the meticulous ear of GRAMMY® Award-winning engineer Nic Hard, in the serene backdrop of Michael League’s Estudi Vint in Catalonia, Spain, Real Life captures the essence of Glyk’s intention to lead with the bass without confining the album to the narrow scope often associated with instrumental virtuosity. The collaboration with a roster of exceptional musicians, including Casey Benjamin, Robert “Sput” Searight, and a cadre of skilled keyboardists, under the co-production of Michael League, enriches the album’s texture, allowing Glyk’s bass to serve as a foundation and a storyteller.

Three examples of the diversity on the album are “Fast Life,” “Who Cares,” and “The Friend You Call,” which all reveal the depth and versatility of Glyk’s musical language. “Fast Life” is a vibrant fusion of funky keyboards and Glyk’s expressive bass lines, showcasing her ability to blend wordless melodies with intricate instrumental interplay. The song navigates through various textures, demonstrating Glyk’s skill in building and releasing tension, culminating in a piece that is as groovy as it is emotionally resonant.

“Who Cares” stands out for its contagious groove through fusion funk, where the traditional roles of melody and groove are ingeniously inverted. Glyk’s bass solo, rich in rhythmic creativity and melodic flow, alongside Nicholas Semrad’s keyboard solo, crafts a compelling and heartfelt narrative, proving that instrumental music can tell a story as vividly as any lyric.

“The Friend You Call” showcases Glyk’s folk-inspired sensibilities, opening with a beautiful chord melody that sets a tone of upliftment and introspection. The track’s European Jazz influence, combined with fluid keyboard solos by Caleb McCampbell and Nicholas Semrad and Glyk’s tasteful use of distortion on the bass, highlights her ability to evoke deep emotional landscapes without uttering a single word.

Glyk set out with the ambition to create an album that transcended her identity as a bassist, aiming instead to craft beautiful songs capable of touching the listener’s heart through music alone. Real Life achieves this goal with remarkable success. Through its intricate compositions, emotive storytelling, and the seamless integration of a diverse array of musical styles, the album shows Glyk’s generational talent and expansive fusion music.