Lublin Jazz Festival

Acclaimed Polish cellist and composer Dobrawa Czocher announces her second solo album, State of Matter, set for release on March 27, 2026 via 130701, the classical imprint of the British label FatCat Records. This deeply contemplative yet sonically expansive work marks a significant evolution in Dobrawa’s artistic language, revealing a clear transformation while highlighting her distinctive sensitivity.

State of Matter was created after the artist’s move from Warsaw to the Baltic coast—an environment that resonates strongly throughout the new compositions. The material is profoundly shaped by her surroundings. Dobrawa translates the scale and fluidity of nature into a work that reflects change as both an inner and a physical force. The album unfolds like a meditation on motion and stillness, fragility and determination—mirroring the constantly shifting states suggested by its title.

In this new musical chapter, Dobrawa Czocher expands both her instrumentation and compositional approach. Percussive cello techniques intertwine with synthesizers, digital electronics, and—appearing for the first time in her work—her own multilayered vocals. These elements remain in symbiosis with her classical foundations, revealing new textures and emotional depth while pushing beyond the boundaries of her previous output.

The material was recorded at the historic Studio S4 of Polish Radio in Warsaw by Mateusz Dębek. The album seamlessly combines meticulous craftsmanship with expressive freedom. Inspired by composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Zoltán Kodály, as well as contemporary figures including Max Richter and Steve Reich, the record radiates rhythmic subtlety and delicate intensity—music that listens as deeply as it speaks.

The first single from State of Matter is the moving composition Blue, accompanied by a striking and immersive music video. Visually, it develops the album’s central themes: water, movement, and transformation. Driven by rhythm and fluid in form, the piece introduces a multilayered “choir” built entirely from Dobrawa’s voice, adding new intimacy and warmth to her sonic palette.

“Water was my starting point. It’s a poetic metaphor for exploring states of matter and searching for answers,” the artist explains.