He produced the music for Floral Bugs’ album “Kłamczuch” and is one of those creators for whom music is not just about sound but also about building genuine relationships. I invite you to read my interview with the producer known as Kudel, who shared insights about his collaborations with artists, the challenges he has faced along the way, and how his time in England influenced his artistic development.
I think I’m not the only one who got a better chance to discover your work after the release of Floral Bugs’ album “Kłamczuch,” where you worked as the producer.
I’m really glad to hear that, and I’d like to send my best regards to Tymek. Big props to him! With Bugs, we had this arrangement where he would often send me already recorded tracks over random beats, and I would redo them from scratch. That way, I had a rough idea of the kind of vibe he was looking for in the production. I don’t remember exactly, but I think two tracks were created in the studio while we were together. He had some ideas, and we built the tracks from the ground up. With the “Brzydal” EP, it was a bit different—I sent him my productions, which were more in a darker vibe because that was the concept for that record. The whole creative process was a mix of different approaches. I had a lot of creative freedom, and the tracks were made at lightning speed.
So, it sounds like you were able to creatively expand?
You know what, I really was because sometimes I was doing things I hadn’t tried before, so it was cool to get those challenges in production. When I had to create something better than the previous version of a track that I already thought was great, that was a real challenge. But it really got me going—I produced the entire album in less than a month. I remember a situation where my friend Lema was DJing a concert with Filipek. I had just met Bugs and we had agreed to work on the album. It turned out that Ruskiefajki (Floral’s girlfriend) was doing a feature with Filipek at that concert, and Bugs also showed up at some point. However, I had left early to go home, not knowing they would be there, so I could focus on the production. I remember we just missed each other. The next day, I sent Bugs a track, and he said it was amazing that I had skipped the concert to keep working on the album. I was so into the production process at that time that I wasn’t putting anything off and was trying to get things done right away.
In this form of collaboration, were there ever instances where a beat didn’t quite fit a particular track, and you had to discuss with Bugs trying a different style?
We didn’t really have discussions like that because pretty much everything I sent him was liked. Every track was on point right away. Occasionally, there were times when I sent productions that he wasn’t sure how to handle, but the next day, I would send something else, and it would immediately click. He quickly wrote lyrics and recorded. I also spent a lot of time in the studio working on some of the tracks. It was truly a great collaboration.
I see that you and Leśny have worked together on many tracks. How did your collaboration begin?
At first, we connected online to try making a few beats together. Later, he invited me to the traphouse of Kartky, a rented house where we made music. Kartky brought in several producers to work on the entire album “Depresja.” The house was rented for 4-5 days, and we spent that time with Kartky making music. Kartky had the lyrics ready, so he just had to lay them down, and we worked on producing the music from scratch. I’m still in touch with Kartky and regularly collaborate on his albums. I’m already set to be on the next album, so stay tuned.
Had you listened to him before you started working together?
I had listened to him, but not extensively, so I had to get used to his style and the new environment. However, I met a lot of great people there, which is really important to me. Now, for example, I’m working with Sickquenc and Leśny on music, and we’re very good friends.
How does your collaboration with Leśny work? Do you have an established workflow, or is it more fluid?
It varies, but usually, Leśny composes melodies and sends them to me, and I handle the rest of the production. Sometimes I create the melodies, but that’s only about 10% of our collaboration. Typically, in addition to the melodies, Leśny also comes up with ideas for whom the beat could be made. I then figure out how to develop it and assemble it into a complete production.
Do you feel strong in creating drum patterns?
I’m not sure if I’d call myself strong, but I think I do quite well with classic drum patterns. I also work on other, more modern or experimental productions. However, 6-7 years ago, I focused solely on classic styles and nothing else. I was closed off to new genres, but at some point, I opened up to them. I started making music for commercials and videos, which really helped me step out of my comfort zone. I used to sample classic sounds non-stop and didn’t like new trends. Over time, though, I began to appreciate electronic and new sounds.
Do you remember the moment when it happened?
I don’t recall the exact day or evening, unfortunately. However, I remember that I went to England for work and, for a long time, I didn’t make any music because nothing appealed to me. I lived there for three years, and after a year of working in a warehouse doing physically demanding work, I realized that it wasn’t the right place for me. That’s when something shifted in me, and I started humming melodies at work, recording them on my phone, and then trying to transfer them to a music program at home. That was a turning point. I started creating intensively, with melodies even coming to me in my dreams. I would wake up early in the morning, sit at my computer, and work on them before heading to work. I spent the whole day thinking about returning home to continue producing. For the next two years, I created music intensively, which became my passion and has remained so ever since.
Perhaps that physical work actually helped you because it allowed you to step away from creative things for a while, making you miss them later.
Yes, exactly. Maybe that’s how it was meant to be. Before I left, I had a period where I wanted to completely quit music. I simply lost the desire to create. However, everything came back to me on its own, and it’s still here today. I’m always eager to do something, and the time of day doesn’t matter. Sometimes I come back very late from work and immediately sit down to produce music because I don’t like putting things off. I always try to act as quickly as possible. I think this is a significant advantage of mine.
In times of procrastination, I think this is truly a remarkable trait.
For me, whenever I have a free moment, I try to do something, and I encourage the guys to do the same. With extra work, I find a certain life balance, have a clear mind, and am more open. Before I started working, I lived off music alone for two years after returning from England. Unfortunately, it was more about quantity than quality. Now, I focus on the quality of my productions, and even though I make fewer of them, I’ve noticed that they turn out to be more valuable and lead to better collaborations.
Do you also establish collaborations by sending beat packs?
No, not at all. I’m actually quite bad at that. I rarely send out beat packs, and usually, others reach out to me. I’ve tried, but I got discouraged when people didn’t even read my messages. It’s different when I already know someone—then the collaboration often develops. For example, I recently appeared on Hinol’s album thanks to a friend named 2Check, with whom I had previously worked. He sent my production to Hinol because he thought it would fit him perfectly. Łukasz (Hinol Polska Wersja) reached out to me directly, and since then, we’ve stayed in touch. When I establish a good rapport with someone, it often leads to further meetings and collaborations, like with Kafar. We get along very well and work together on almost every album of his. I will also be on a few tracks of Dixon37 and on Kafar’s solo album. Another person is Penx, with whom I’ve been working and knowing for many years. We’re even considering a new album. When I have trusted people who don’t ignore my messages, I stick with them. Through them, I broaden my horizons, meet new people, and my network of collaborators continues to grow.
Perhaps that’s why the things you release seem more cohesive? There’s also a relationship behind them.
Yes, they are more cohesive because I can communicate better with a particular artist. Such a person will tell you directly if they don’t like something or want to change it, and that’s fine. The most frustrating are people who say something needs to be changed but don’t specify what exactly they don’t like.
Do you listen to Polish rap regularly?
I try to stay up to date, though I don’t check it too thoroughly. There are, however, a few rappers I really enjoy, like Guzior, Pickers, JWP/BC, and Avi. I listen to a lot of UK music, probably because I lived there for a while. While drill wasn’t yet a thing in Poland, it was already booming in the UK, audible from every neighborhood window. I really like UK sound and all the elements that make it up.
So you probably also listen to Miły ATZ from Poland?
Yes, I do, and I think he’s a very good rapper. It’s a pity that the Polish market isn’t more open to this kind of music because Miły deserves much more recognition. Moreover, he’s not only strong with his rapping but also with freestyling and making beats. We’ve been seeing a trend towards multilingual rap, which in Poland is done by artists like Kronkel Dom, who occasionally drops lines in German, or Kabe, who leans towards French. I think if Miły were from the UK and dropped Polish lines in his tracks, he would probably gain more recognition there. Nevertheless, I think he’s doing well; he plays a lot of solo concerts and is part of the bass-centric duo Święty Bass with Phunk’ill, which also tours. He has his own dedicated audience that always comes to his shows, which just shows that he’s bringing a unique style to Poland.
Do you find any escape from music? Or is work your escape?
Work is one way, but I also often go away on weekends to maintain a balance between work, music, and relaxation. I try to stay close to nature, which helps me unwind and find new inspirations. I’ve always enjoyed producing on my own, so working in a traphouse with other producers was a big challenge for me. However, I’m glad we managed to create many live beats together and just have a good time.
Did you find a different side to your production style there?
Not entirely, but it was great that everyone contributed their ideas. It allowed for growth and learning new patterns and methods from different people. It really broadens your perspective and influences your flow. If I look back, my connection with music began around 15 years ago. I’m from Tarnobrzeg, and as a kid, I started listening to rap. Of course, I also had other tapes and albums, like Nirvana, Metallica, and Limp Bizkit, but I was more drawn to rap. I started listening to the local scene in Tarnobrzeg, which included older guys in their twenties. When a friend showed me their tracks, I thought I also wanted to create such things. I began with a simple program called E-Jay, where you arranged pre-made blocks of melodies and drums. Later, a friend introduced me to FL Studio and gave me a cracked version of the software for 5 złoty and a beer. I taught myself, without YouTube tutorials, because I didn’t have the internet at that time, and it was generally hard to access. Learning the program took me about two years. During that period, I was really into sampling, so I started sampling old records. I was also very excited about the Polish underground scene and eventually started appearing on those albums. When I was 18, I sent four productions to VNMa via Myspace, and to my surprise, he read my message and replied. He said that his inbox receives up to a hundred messages a day, and by chance, he read mine. Ultimately, he took all four of my beats, three of which appeared on his debut album. These were tracks “Róże Betonu” with Włodi, “Oltajmerz” with Niger and Boxi, and “Nic Nie Przychodzi Łatwo” with Hades and Diox. After that album, Włodi called me, needing production for his new album, which eventually didn’t come out. Despite that, we have mutual respect and stay in touch, so I think we’ll collaborate again in the future.
So, you’ve been in the music industry for much longer than just a few years.
Yes, I’d say about fifteen. I have tracks from 3W and some older ones with Karwan. Later, while studying in Krakow, I met Kobik, and we had our group of friends. We spent time together, made music, and we still know each other today. We continue to collaborate and keep in touch.
Have you always used the pseudonym Kudel for your productions?
Yes, I’ve always had the same nickname. Initially, it was “Kudeł” with the letter “Ł” at the end, which comes from my surname. It originated in primary school, but when I created an account on Myspace, I couldn’t use Polish characters, so my account was named Kudel Beats or Kudel Produkcja. Later, people started calling me Kudel, and it has stuck ever since.
IG: @kudelbeats
FB: kudelbeats