Hailing from the university town of Poznań in western Poland, fronted by singer and songwriter Izabela “Izzy” Rekowska, who sharpened her songwriting skills during a formative stay in London, the band was formed in 2018 and has since been making waves far beyond Polish borders. Their debut single, Picasso’s Octopuss, dropped in late 2019 with a bold, fuzz-laden rock’n’roll sound that set the tone for their first album, Trust No One—released in April 2020 by Antena Krzyku, a fiercely independent Polish label with deep roots in alternative and punk music. The title track gained international traction after being featured on BBC 6 Music Recommends by Steve Lamacq.
Their second album, Revolution Comes in Waves (October 2022), produced by Marcin Bors, brought even more attention from the European alternative music press. Praised in OxFanzine (9/10), Rumore Magazine, and media across Switzerland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK, the album solidified their international profile. The band was also featured on KEXP’s Sonic Reducer, Radio X, and again on BBC 6 Music. Poland’s Teraz Rock hailed it as the best Polish rock album of 2022.
The 2024 EP Go On, Test The System continued to expand their sound. The single “F-16” was featured as KEXP Seattle’s Song of the Day, with Kevin Cole raving: “So frickin’ good, it’s driving me nuts.” At ESNS 2024, the band were highlighted by KEXP and named among must-see acts by NME, Music for the Misfits and Dork.
On stage, Izzy and the Black Trees deliver an electrifying mix of punk defiance and rock’n’roll intensity. Their European footprint includes Liverpool Sound City, London through Keychange, and shows in Berlin, Dresden and Prague. They have played OFF Festival (2023 main stage), Jarocin, Mystic Festival, Summer Dying Loud and Inne Brzmienia, as well as Westway LAB, Sharpe and Next Fest. They opened for Fontaines D.C. in 2024 and Garbage in Poland in 2026.
“Regardless of where they appear, I wholeheartedly encourage, recommend and insist on seeing them. Rock'n'roll is alive, also in Poland, and its name is Izzy and The Black Trees.”
— Łukasz Kamiński, Gazeta Wyborcza, Next Fest 2023
In August 2025 Izzy and the Black Trees launched a new era with the double single Obliteration / New Rage. Their third album, Kisses to Chaos, followed in February 2026. Born out of the industrial pulse of Łódź, the album channels transformation and decay, grit and unexpected beauty into a raw, darkly melodic alt-rock force.