Aya RL is a Polish electronica/psychedelic rock group founded in 1983 in Jarocin, at a music festival. The already-established Polish-Russian soloist Igor Czerniawski (drums, keyboard, vocals) met the members of the band Hook, composed of Paweł Kukiz (percussion, vocals) and Jarek (Jarosław) Lach (guitar), and they formed a trio, originally under the name Aya Red Love. They returned to Jarocin the next year to participate in the festival as a trio, and their song “Skin” (“Skóra”) became a hit. Kukiz also sang with the band Breasts (Piersi) at the same festival. “Skin” was a different genre of song than the band wanted to focus on, though, and they had to redirect their fans a little after that.
Their first album, Aya RL, came out in 1985. “Skin” did not appear on it, to assist their rebranding efforts, though it is still one of their most popular songs. The music was intellectual and surprising, and many of the songs became hits. Various members cycled in and out after this, and at one point the group attempted to start a larger collaboration with more artists, including the popular Beata Pater, but this didn’t last long. A third permanent member, Adam Romanowski (guitar, vocals), then joined. They started working on a second album in 1987, with a more “predatory and aggressive” feel, according to a fan site of the band.
There was an even longer gap before their third album, Nomadeus, 1994, and again it had quite a different sound, transitioning further into electronica but upheld by traditional ethnic sounds and flavors from world music. The fourth album was similar; but then Jaroslaw Lach left the band, and it turned into a solo project for Czerniawski. The fifth album of what was still called Aya RL, Change in Form (title originally in English), from 1998, went further into the electronica direction, and had a more specialized sound. Czerniawski disbanded the band shortly thereafter.
More recently, Czerniawski has worked with Polish singer Ramona Rey, and Paul Kukiz has been releasing albums with various collaborators as well as becoming involved in politics as a conservative candidate.
“Skin” (“Skóra”), 1984:
Lyrics for “Skóra”:
Stoję na ulicy z nią, stoję twarzą w twarz
Ktoś przechodzi, trąca łokciem, wzrokiem pluje w nas
Szeptem mówię: ,,Mała patrz, cywilizowany świat.”
Potem obejmuję ją, odpływamy w dal
Nie dochodzi obcy głos , wolno płynie czas
Odpływamy w otchłań gwiazd,
Mała zanuć to co ja~~~~:
/Tam tam tam
tam ta ra ta ra tam/ ( x4 )
Stoję na ulicy z nią, śmiechy wkoło nas
Ktoś przechodzi trąca łokciem, pluje Małej w twarz
Głośno mówię: ,,Mała patrz, cywilizowany świat!”
Potem mu przestawiam nos, upadł ale wstał
Dookoła głosów sto “ten w skórze to drań!”
Padam dzisiaj byłem sam, Mała zanuć to co ja:
/Tam tam tam
tam ta ra ta ra tam/ ( x4 )
Wtedy obejmuję ją odpływamy w dal
Nie dochodzi obcy głos, wolno płynie czas
Odpływamy w otchłań gwiazd, Mała nuci to co ja:
/Tam tam tam
tam ta ra ta ra tam/ ( x4 )
Pauza
/Tam tam tam
tam ta ra ta ra tam/ ( x4 )
“Sabotage” (“Sabotaż”), from the 1989 album:
Lyrics for “Sabotaż”:
Sabotaż
To Wy
Zarzygane brody
Przez strach, zgon
To Wy
Cud kopulatory
Napędzane rudą krwią
To Wy
Odbyt moich marzeń
Duma dziwek, suchy pysk
To Wy
Próchno zębów Boga
Urynalno – zgniły ryż
Demoniczne wielkie ze strachu wszy
To Wy
Robaczywe głowy bez szyi
Mokra amunicja
Uda starych bab
Wyjście bezpieczeństwa
Zardzewiałe pistolety
Wy i inni
Znawcy miast i wsi
Mięso wykrwawione
Urojone sny
Zarzygane brody
Cud kopulatory
odbyt moich marzeń
Próchno zębów Boga
Wy i inni
Mięso wykrwawione
Urojone sny
Zarzygane brody
Cud kopulatory
odbyt moich marzeń
Próchno zębów Boga
