Lunatic Soul

{{Short description|Polish progressive rock project}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| background = group_or_band

| name = Lunatic Soul

| image = BurgHerzberg2019-Riverside-44.jpg

| landscape = yes

| alt = black-and-white image of Mariusz Duda playing bass guitar onstage

| caption = Mariusz Duda (Lunatic Soul) performing with Riverside in 2019

| years_active = 2008–present

| origin = Poland

| genre = Progressive rock

| label = {{hlist|Mystic|Snapper|Kscope}}

| current_members = Mariusz Duda

| website = {{URL|lunaticsoul.com}}

}}

Lunatic Soul is a progressive rock side-project founded by Riverside vocalist and bass guitarist Mariusz Duda in 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.kscopemusic.com/artists/lunaticsoul/|title=Kscope | Lunatic Soul|publisher=kscopemusic.com|accessdate=15 May 2016}} Originally conceived to allow him to explore genres outside of rock, the project was described by Duda in 2014 as progressive, ambient, oriental, and electronic.{{Cite web|last=Puglielli|first=Gessica|date=10 October 2014|title=Interview with Mariusz Duda of Lunatic Soul and Riverside|url=http://rebelmusic.info/interview-mariusz-duda-lunatic-soul-riverside/|access-date=14 January 2022|website=Rebel Rebel Music}} Lunatic Soul has released seven albums to date. The most recent, Through Shaded Woods, came out on 13 November 2020, and has been described by Duda as "more folky" than previous releases.{{Cite web|title=Mariusz Duda – Lunatic Soul|url=https://theprogressiveaspect.net/blog/2020/11/14/mariusz-duda-lunatic-soul/|access-date=14 January 2022|website=The Progressive Aspect – TPA|date=14 November 2020}}

Albums

=2008: ''Lunatic Soul''=

{{Main|Lunatic Soul (album)}}

Lunatic Soul's debut, self-titled studio album was released on 13 October 2008 on Kscope.{{Cite web |last=Chachlowski |first=Artur |date=1 October 2008 |title=Lunatic Soul – Lunatic Soul |url=https://mlwz.pl/recenzje/plyty/2596-lunatic-soul-lunatic-soul |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=MLWZ.pl |language=pl}} Guest appearances included then-UnSun and Indukti drummer Wawrzyniec Dramowicz as well as Riverside keyboardist Michał Łapaj.{{Cite web |title=Lunatic Soul – Lunatic Soul {{!}} recenzje ArtRock.pl |url=https://artrock.pl/recenzje/2206/lunatic_soul_lunatic_soul.html |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=ArtRock.pl |language=pl}}

The record reached No. 23 on the Polish OLiS chart{{Cite web |title=Oficjalna lista sprzeday :: OLIS – Official Retail Sales Chart |url=http://olis.onyx.pl/listy/index.asp?idlisty=484&lang=pl |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=olis.onyx.pl}} and was voted Best Album of the Year by listeners of the Noc Muzycznych Pejzaży radio program.{{Cite web |title=Płyta Lunatic Soul albumem roku słuchaczy *Nocy Muzycznych Pejzaży* – aktualności |url=https://artrock.pl/aktualnosci/8232/plyta_lunatic_soul_albumem_roku_sluchaczy_nocy_muzycznych_pejzazy.html |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=ArtRock.pl |language=pl |trans-title=Lunatic Soul album named the album of the year by *Noc Muzycznych Pejzaży* listeners – news}}

Reviewers described it as "forty-five minutes of moving, meticulously thought-out music", noting the oriental-ambient sound of the project as distinctive from the music of Duda's primary band, Riverside. The German magazine Eclipsed rated the album 9/10 and described the music as "trip rock".{{Cite web |title="Boję się tego, co nadejdzie, bo bardzo kocham życie" – wywiad z Mariuszem Dudą – twórcą projektu Lunatic Soul oraz wokalistą i basistą Riverside – wywiady |url=https://artrock.pl/wywiady/360/boje_sie_tego_co_nadejdzie_bo_bardzo_kocham_zycie_-_wywiad_z_mariuszem_duda_-_tworca_projektu_lunatic_soul_oraz_wokalista_i_basista_riverside.html |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=ArtRock.pl |language=pl |trans-title="I'm afraid of what's to come because I love life so much" – interview with Mariusz Duda – creator of the Lunatic Soul project and vocalist and bassist of Riverside – interviews}}

=2010: ''Lunatic Soul II''=

{{Main|Lunatic Soul II}}

The projects's second album, titled Lunatic Soul II, was released on 25 October 2010 by both Mystic Production and Kscope,{{Citation |title=Lunatic Soul II by Lunatic Soul – RYM/Sonemic |url=https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/lunatic-soul/lunatic-soul-ii/ |access-date=13 April 2025}} debuting at No. 13 on the OLiS chart in Poland.{{Cite web |title=Oficjalna lista sprzeday :: OLIS – Official Retail Sales Chart |url=http://olis.onyx.pl/listy/index.asp?idlisty=620&lang=pl |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=olis.onyx.pl}}{{Cite web |date=17 July 2010 |title=Już w tym roku nowa płyta Lunatic Soul! |url=https://lunaticsoul.com/pl/juz-w-tym-roku-nowa-plyta-lunatic-soul/ |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=lunatic soul |language=pl-PL |trans-title=New Lunatic Soul album coming this year!}} Reviewers compared the music to such artists as Dead Can Dance and Peter Gabriel.{{Cite web |title=Lunatic Soul – Lunatic Soul II {{!}} recenzje ArtRock.pl |url=https://artrock.pl/recenzje/44259/lunatic_soul_lunatic_soul_ii.html |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=ArtRock.pl |language=pl}}

Music critics pointed out that Lunatic Soul II is more musically accessible than the debut and includes more melodic content. They placed emphasis on Duda's continued experimentation, expressed through the use of unconventional instruments, such as the Chinese guzheng, tubular bells, the cajón, and the kalimba.{{Cite web |title=Recenzja Lunatic Soul "Lunatic Soul II" |url=https://www.dnamuzyki.net/2011/06/recenzja-lunatic-soul-ii-chillout-do.html |access-date=13 April 2025 |language=pl |trans-title=Lunatic Soul Review "Lunatic Soul II"}}

=2011: ''Impressions''=

{{Main|Impressions (Lunatic Soul album)}}

On October 107, 2011, Kscope released Lunatic Soul's third album, titled Impressions,{{Cite web |date=17 October 2011 |title=impressions |url=https://lunaticsoul.com/pl/album/d-impressions/ |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=lunatic soul |language=pl-PL}} the project's first entirely instrumental record. The tracks were created during the recording sessions for the previous two albums and were initially intended to be an addition to the reissues of those albums. Duda ultimately felt that the compositions were strong enough to stand as a separate record.{{Cite web |title=Impressions, by Lunatic Soul |url=https://kscopemusic.bandcamp.com/album/impressions |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=Kscope}}

When asked why the album was instrumental, Duda explained: "I grew up mainly on instrumental music. I had to have such an album in my discography".{{Cite web |last=TopGuitar |first=Dawid Brykalski {{!}} |date=2 August 2021 |title=Mariusz Duda – Muzyka, kasety i cała reszta |url=https://topguitar.pl/artysci/mariusz-duda-muzyka-kasety-i-cala-reszta/ |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=TopGuitar.pl |language=pl-PL |trans-title=Mariusz Duda – Music, tapes and all the rest}} The tracks on Impressions include a range of non-musical sounds, such as an electrocardiogram, falling water droplets, and steel being forged. Duda's voice is rarely present and functions more as an additional instrument than as traditional vocals.{{Cite web |last=Chachlowski |first=Artur |date=19 October 2011 |title=Lunatic Soul – Impressions |url=https://mlwz.pl/recenzje/plyty/7222-lunatic-soul-impressions |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=MLWZ.pl |language=pl}}

=2014: ''Walking on a Flashlight Beam''=

{{Main|Walking on a Flashlight Beam}}

Lunatic Soul's fourth album, titled Walking on a Flashlight Beam, was released on 13 October 2014 by Mystic Production in Poland and Kscope worldwide.{{Cite web |date=30 July 2014 |title=Walking on a Flashlight Beam – nowy album Lunatic Soul już w październiku! |url=https://lunaticsoul.com/pl/walking-on-a-flashlight-beam-nowy-album-lunatic-soul-juz-w-pazdzierniku/ |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=lunatic soul |language=pl-P |trans-title=Walking on a Flashlight Beam – new Lunatic Soul album coming in October!}} It consists of 9 tracks and contains nearly 64 minutes of music,{{Cite web |last=Bedford |first=Steve |date=21 June 2015 |title=Lunatic Soul – Walking on a Flashlight Beam |url=https://theprogressiveaspect.net/blog/2015/06/21/lunatic-soul-walking-on-a-flashlight-beam/ |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=T P A}} with Duda acting as sole composer and playing all instruments except drums.{{Cite web |title=Lunatic Soul – Walking on a Flashlight Beam {{!}} recenzje ArtRock.pl |url=https://artrock.pl/recenzje/53090/lunatic_soul_walking_on_a_flashlight_beam.html |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=ArtRock.pl |language=pl}}

Album reviews pointed out that Walking on a Flashlight Beam differs significantly from the project's previous releases, with greater emphasis on electronics as well as a strong rhythm, resulting in a rock-oriented sound.{{Cite web |last=Nowakowski |first=Maurycy |date=13 September 2014 |title=Lunatic Soul – Walking on a Flashlight Beam |url=https://mlwz.pl/recenzje/plyty/13875-lunatic-soul-walking-on-a-flashlight-beam |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=MLWZ.pl |language=pl}}

=2017: ''Fractured''=

{{Main|Fractured (Lunatic Soul album)}}

On 6 October 2017, Lunatic Soul's fifth album, titled Fractured, was released{{Cite web |title=Fractured |url=https://www.empik.com/fractured-lunatic-soul,p1149425693,muzyka-p |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=empik.com |language=pl}} by Mystic Production in Poland and Kscope internationally. It consists of eight tracks in an electronic rock style, blending elements of progressive rock and ambient music{{Cite web |title=Lunatic Soul – Fractured (2017) |url=https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=55063 |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=Progarchives.com}} as well as the addition of a symphony orchestra.{{Cite web |title=Lunatic Soul – Fractured {{!}} recenzje ArtRock.pl |url=https://artrock.pl/recenzje/53984/lunatic_soul_fractured.html |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=ArtRock.pl |language=pl}}

Duda has stated that the inspiration for the album was the death of two people close to him—his father and Piotr Grudziński, guitarist of Riverside.{{Cite web |date=11 October 2017 |title=Lunatic Soul – Fractured Digibook |url=https://www.mystic.pl/plyty_cd,lunatic-soul-fractured-digibook,28307.htm |access-date=14 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011072000/https://www.mystic.pl/plyty_cd,lunatic-soul-fractured-digibook,28307.htm |archive-date=11 October 2017 }}

=2018: ''Under the Fragmented Sky''=

{{Main|Under the Fragmented Sky}}

The sixth Lunatic Soul album, titled Under the Fragmented Sky, was released on 25 May 2018.{{Cite web |title=Under the Fragmented Sky, by Lunatic Soul |url=https://kscopemusic.bandcamp.com/album/under-the-fragmented-sky |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=Kscope}} Consisting of eight tracks,{{Cite web |last=Pietrzak |first=Joanna |date=22 June 2018 |title=Lunatic Soul – Under the Fragmented Sky (2018) |url=https://kvlt.pl/muzyka/recenzje/lunatic-soul-under-the-fragmented-sky-2018/ |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=KVLT |language=pl-PL}} all of which are instrumental except the title track and "Untamed".{{Cite web |title=Lunatic Soul – Under The Fragmented Sky {{!}} recenzje ArtRock.pl |url=https://artrock.pl/recenzje/54195/lunatic_soul_under_the_fragmented_sky.html |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=ArtRock.pl |language=pl}}

Reviewers emphasized the material's accessibility{{Cite web |date=28 May 2018 |title=Lunatic Soul "Under the Fragmented Sky" – recenzja płyty lidera Riverside |url=https://rozrywka.spidersweb.pl/lunatic-soul-under-the-fragmented-sky-recenzja |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=Rozrywka Spider's Web – Cyfrowy styl życia |language=pl |trans-title=Lunatic Soul "Under the Fragmented Sky" – review of the Riverside leader's album}}{{Cite web |date=5 June 2018 |title=Recenzja Lunatic Soul "Under the Fragmented Sky": Wyjście z mroku |url=https://muzyka.interia.pl/recenzje/news-recenzja-lunatic-soul-under-the-fragmented-sky-wyjscie-z-mro,nId,2590043 |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=muzyka.interia.pl |language=PL |trans-title=Lunatic Soul "Under the Fragmented Sky" Review: Out of the Darkness}}

=2020: ''Through Shaded Woods''=

{{Main|Through Shaded Woods}}

The seventh album by Lunatic Soul, Through Shaded Woods, came out on 13 November 2020. It is inspired by Scandinavian and Slavic folk music{{Clarify|date=April 2025|reason=It should be explained what these terms mean.}} and references the work of bands such as Heilung and Wardruna.{{Cite web |title=Lunatic Soul "Through Shaded Woods" Limited Edition Mediabook 2 CD. – Oficjalny Sklep Riverside |url=https://store.riversideband.pl/pl/produkt/lunatic-soul-through-shaded-woods-mediabook/ |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=store.riversideband.pl |language=pl |trans-title=Lunatic Soul "Through Shaded Woods" Limited Edition Mediabook 2 CD. – Riverside Official Store}} The album consists of six tracks, and in a special limited edition, it includes over 30 minutes of additional music. For the first time in the project's history, Duda plays all the instruments on the record.{{Cite web |title=Lunatic Soul "Through Shaded Woods" |url=https://mystic.pl/product-pol-55201-Lunatic-Soul-Through-Shaded-Woods.html?srsltid=AfmBOop-44QFMB14afTIx_RrQppyZHz6985SFup9cTfI3m6EV7JU-D0X |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=MYSTIC PRODUCTION |language=pl}}

Through Shaded Woods includes no electronic elements, which dominated earlier Lunatic Soul albums,{{Cite web |title=Through Shaded Woods |url=https://audio.com.pl/muzyka/recenzje/rock/28277-lunatic-soul-through-shaded-woods |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=audio.com.pl |language=pl}} consisting instead of acoustic guitars, bass. and keyboards.{{Cite web |title=Lunatic Soul– Through Shaded Woods {{!}} recenzje ArtRock.pl |url=https://artrock.pl/recenzje/54581/lunatic_soul_through_shaded_woods.html |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=ArtRock.pl |language=pl}}{{Cite web |last=Pietrzak |first=Joanna |date=13 November 2020 |title=Lunatic Soul – "Through Shaded Woods" (2020) |url=https://kvlt.pl/muzyka/recenzje/lunatic-soul-through-shaded-woods-2020/ |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=KVLT |language=pl-PL}}

=2025: New album=

At the end of 2024, Duda announced that Lunatic Soul's eighth record would be released in 2025{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K7pl-RPARY |title=Lunatic Soul – new album in 2025! |date=26 December 2024 |last=Mariusz Duda |access-date=14 April 2025 |via=YouTube}} and is intended to be a double album, containing almost 1.5 hours of music.{{Cite web |date=20 August 2024 |title=Nowa płyta Lunatic Soul będzie dwupłytowym albumem! |url=https://lunaticsoul.com/pl/nowa-plyta-lunatic-soul-bedzie-dwuplytowym-albumem/ |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=lunatic soul |language=pl-PL |trans-title=The new Lunatic Soul album will be a double album!}} On 10 June 2025, Lunatic Soul released the first single from the album, titled "The World Under Unsun".{{cite web|title=Lunatic Soul Sign to InsideOutMusic for Upcoming Album Release; "The World Under Unsun" Single Streaming |url=https://bravewords.com/news/lunatic-soul-sign-to-insideoutmusic-for-upcoming-album-release-the-world-under-unsun-single-streaming/ |website=bravewords.com |date=10 June 2025 |access-date=10 June 2025}}

Discography

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album details

! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart positions

scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | POL
{{cite web|url=http://olis.onyx.pl/listy/index.asp?idlisty=484&lang=|title=Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS – Official Retail Sales Chart|publisher=olis.onyx.pl|accessdate=15 May 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://olis.onyx.pl/listy/index.asp?idlisty=620&lang=|title=Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS – Official Retail Sales Chart|publisher=olis.onyx.pl|accessdate=15 May 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://olis.onyx.pl/listy/index.asp?idlisty=890&lang=|title=Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS – Official Retail Sales Chart|publisher=olis.onyx.pl|accessdate=15 May 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://olis.onyx.pl/listy/index.asp?idlisty=1105&lang=|title=Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS – Official Retail Sales Chart|publisher=olis.onyx.pl|accessdate=7 June 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://olis.onyx.pl/listy/index.asp?idlisty=1142&lang=|title=Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS – Official Retail Sales Chart|publisher=olis.onyx.pl|accessdate=7 June 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://olis.onyx.pl/listy/index.asp?idlisty=1332&lang=|title=Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS – Official Retail Sales Chart|publisher=olis.onyx.pl|accessdate=26 November 2020}}
scope="row" |Lunatic Soul

|

  • Released: 13 October 2008{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/lunatic-soul-mw0000801699|title=Lunatic Soul – Lunatic Soul | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic|publisher=allmusic.com|accessdate=15 May 2016}}
  • Label: Mystic Production, Snapper Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/lunatic-soul/id428009700|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140916201825/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/lunatic-soul/id428009700|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 September 2014|title=Lunatic Soul by Lunatic Soul on iTunes|publisher=iTunes|access-date=15 May 2016}}

|| 23

scope="row" |Lunatic Soul II

|

  • Released: 9 November 2010{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/lunatic-soul-2-mw0002058903|title=Lunatic Soul 2 – Lunatic Soul | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic|publisher=allmusic.com|accessdate=15 May 2016}}
  • Label: Mystic Production, Kscope Music
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/lunatic-soul-ii/id428193609|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907083239/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/lunatic-soul-ii/id428193609|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 September 2014|title=Lunatic Soul II by Lunatic Soul on iTunes|publisher=iTunes|access-date=15 May 2016}}

|| 13

scope="row" |Impressions

|

  • Released: 8 November 2011{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/impressions-mw0002219143|title=Impressions – Lunatic Soul | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic|publisher=allmusic.com|accessdate=15 May 2016}}
  • Label: Kscope Music
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/impressions/id476687939|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921191005/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/impressions/id476687939|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 September 2014|title=Impressions by Lunatic Soul on iTunes|publisher=iTunes|access-date=15 May 2016}}

|| —

scope="row" |Walking on a Flashlight Beam

|

  • Released: 13 October 2014{{cite web|url=http://www.mystic.pl/aktualnosci,lunatic_soul_nowy_album_w_pazdzierniku,1541.htm|title=Aktualności – Lunatic Soul nowy album w październiku! – Wytwórnia płytowa – Mystic Production|publisher=mystic.pl|accessdate=15 May 2016}}
  • Label: Mystic Production, Kscope Music
  • Formats: CD, CD+DVD, LP, digital download

| 11

scope="row" |Fractured

|

  • Released: 6 October 2017
  • Label: Mystic Production, Kscope Music
  • Formats: CD, MC, LP, digital download

| 4

scope="row" |Under the Fragmented Sky

|

  • Released: 25 May 2018
  • Label: Mystic Production, Kscope Music
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download

| 10

scope="row" |Through Shaded Woods

|

  • Released: 13 November 2020{{Cite web|title=Lunatic Soul "Through Shaded Woods" – lunatic soul|url=https://lunaticsoul.com/lunatic-soul-through-shaded-woods/|access-date=18 September 2020|website=lunaticsoul.com|date=12 September 2020 }}
  • Label: Kscope Music
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download

|| 5

colspan="3" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

References

{{Reflist}}