In 2015, Tigersapp, the debut album from Newcastle musician Szymon was released, three years after his death. The album received widespread praise upon its release, receiving an ARIA nomination and leading to an invitation from Splendour In The Grass for Szymon’s brother, Gang of Youths drummer Donnie Borzestowski, to bring the album to life onstage at the festival alongside bandmate David Le’aupepe, Emma Louise, Sam Cromack and Little May.
Now, four years on, another collection of recordings by Szymon is set for release, with the seven-track ‘Blue Coloured Mountain’ EP to be released Friday, 8th November.
Discovered while trying to back up Szymon’s old computer, Donnie and the rest of Szymon’s family initially felt torn about sharing the songs.
“It felt kind of weird in a way,” Donnie says. “Cos these are little gems we have as a family. It’s a way for us to remember him, but I think they’re almost too good to not share.”
The family decided to release the recordings, not changing anything about them. The way they are on the EP is the way Szymon left them.
“I think he was progressing in his sound and his ability,” says Borzestowski about his brother’s EP.
“I remember a couple of months before he passed away, he handed me a CD with (new song) ‘Yakuza’ on it and was like, ‘I want you to have this. I like this song. I think it’s one of my best.'”
“The way those songs were coming together, he was finding that sound more,” he explains. “It was super exciting to see where that was heading.”
“Honestly it puts a smile on my face,” Borzestowski says about the impact his brother’s music has had on people.
“We’ve had messages from people all around the world, reaching out and saying how it’s touched them, and how it’s given them hope in dark times. It’s a really beautiful thing to see, that he’s still with us and still out there.”
Watch the video for Blue Coloured Mountain‘s title track below.
