Expect the unexpected indeed, even if you are aware of
Ankh's previous four albums. Of course, it has been five years since Bedzie Tajemnica, but even when considering the time gap, this album comes as a surprise. The trio offers a convincing blend of art rock and electronica, with a touch of dry humor that recalls
Pavel Fajt's projects of the early 2000s. After a short electronic introduction, the album takes flight with "The Trick," a profoundly stupid song so catchy it will make you feel guilty about liking it. The chorus "I know that you know/You know that I know" is as basic as it gets and the vocoder conjures up embarrassing memories of the early '80s, but it seems that
Ankh always finds an unusual angle of treatment and "The Trick" may very well epitomize that aspect of the band. Lead singer
Piotr Krzeminski is obviously enjoying himself. "Love Supreme" takes a completely different direction, galloping on an avant rock beat and featuring some inspired keyboard jamming. "I Want You" has heavy metal overtones, "Blue" is a folky tune as straightforward as
Faust's
IV (get the satire?), and many tracks verge on techno.
Ankh's achievement resides in the fact that not one track is predictable, yet the album offers a gentle, if eventful listen. Some listeners will have problems swallowing the diversity, but the joie de vivre and obvious disrespect for conventions found on
Expect Unexpected compensate for a certain lack of cohesion.