Ukrainian Field Notes XXIX

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May I Give This Ukrainian Bread to All People in This Big Wide World (1982) – Mariia Primachenko

Coming up to the second anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion, we are back with a new episode of Ukrainian Field Notes.

Vlad Yakovlev talks to us about Ukrainian folk from the 90s, while Paloven introduces the first Regular Disco compilation. We then look at sound and the visual arts with Yarema Malashchuk and Roman Khimei while Khrystyna Kirik talks impro and performative projects. User Kyx and Rozpusta talk about the different war sounds in Cherkasy, while Valeria Obodzinska reflects on burnout from Kyiv and MissDye looks for diversity within electronic music.

To round things off, Surie presents his latest release on Kashtan and we get a sonic postcard delivered directly by Postman from Poland while Hidden Self talks bayraktar-core from Greece.

New releases include Waveskania, wakalos, La Horsa Bianca, Vera Logdanidi, Artem Baburin & Dmytro Avksentiev, Deadspacer, Anna Pidgorna and Andrii Barmalii X Olexandr Yavdyk X Khrystyna Kirik.

But to begin with, it’s a great pleasure for us to present a preview of ummsbiaus and Difference Machine‘s new collaborative project on our monthly podcast for  Resonance FM. This is followed by our usual spotify playlist.

Tracklist:
ummsbiaus and Difference Machine: “торований шлях”
ummsbiaus: “Lichylnyk”
Difference Machine: “боротьба за вбивство / боротьба за виживання”
ummsbiaus and Difference Machine: “коло зачароване”
ummsbiaus: “Hypnagogia”

 

 

JANUARY 11, 2024 – KOVEL

Vlad Yakovlev

I’m Vlad Yakovlev, founder of projects such as В’язане Море, Неймовіра, wet_blankettttt, drummer of Travel Trio. I started to record myself on a tape recorder in 2000, I’ve played music since 2004. Also I have a cassette label which is called Bloomed In September Tapes.

Has the full-scale invasion changed the way you think about music, and sound in general, and has it had an impact on your playlist?


I can’t say that full-scale invasion changed my method of writing and recording music, but I created the new project wet_blankettttt in March 2022, where I do experiments with field recordings, tapes loops, some casual recordings and different effects. It’s my own noise-project. Talking about my playlist… I can’t say that I listen to music very often, ’cause I spend a lot of time working with archives, remastering old records from the 90s and 2000s… but I surf the net, trying to find something new from the Ukrainian scene and sometimes I find something wonderful 🙂

You are very prolific and open to collaborations. What would you say is the defining characteristic of your sound?

I like to discover the nature of sound, how I can change it, make it sharper or more blurred. Also, it’s interesting for me to use different instruments or sound effects to get something new or unusual.

You seem to be influenced by Ukrainian bands like Yarn. How important would you say your Ukrainian music heritage is to you and what impact would you say it has had on younger generations?

The Ukrainian music heritage really influenced my musical taste and approach to making music. Maybe, this music helped me overcome some of my own limits and showed me new ways to express my own ideas. I’m glad that a lot of people nowadays are interested in Ukrainian underground music from the 90s , trying to find some unknown records or tapes. I’m happy to share some rare things or recordings with these people and get feedback from them.

Many of your projects are released on ERYTHROLEUKOPLAKIA RECORDS. What can you tell us about the label and the band Emotional Anhedonia?

ERYTHROLEUKOPLAKIA RECORDS publishes a lot of interesting bands and projects and, moreover, you can’t expect what they will decide to release next time.

Emotional Anhedonia is the project of Misha, a founder of ERYTHROLEUKOPLAKIA RECORDS. I played with them in Lviv in June’23 and this experience was successful despite the fact that I had some problems with the sound of my keyboards. Misha invites different musicians to play on stage without rehearsals, and this approach is really brave, and emotional, of course 🙂
So, you can ask Misha about this project, he can tell you much more information about Anhedonia.

Vlad Yakovlev – Exersays (EP) (2023)

Where are you now and have you been displaced by war at any point?

I live in Kovel, where I was born, it’s a small town in the Volyn Region and I’ve lived here since 2000. Also I work as a teacher in a rural school.

Has your sonic environment changed noticeably since the full-scale invasion?

Our town is small and there is a really narrow circle of musicians who try to play their own music.. and I can’t say that my sonic environment has changed since February 2022. Here are a small number of musicians who want to do something unusual.

Are there any Ukrainian releases from the past year and a half that you feel can help make sense of current events?

Hmm, I can list some releases that are really powerful and important to me:

How do you feel about the inclusion of “war sounds” in recent releases by Ukrainian artists and are there any specific sounds you find triggering? Also, how do you feel about bayraktar-core music?


Fortunately, I listen to bayraktar-music very rarely, when my colleague turns on the radio. Honestly, I try not to pay attention to it. As for me, a lot of pop-artists try to copy each other and it’s boring to listen ‘cause I couldn’t find something special, some new ideas or unexpected experiments with sound or harmony.

How do you see the experimental music scene develop under present circumstances?

I can say that experimental music scene or independent scene in Ukraine is developing, for example, really often I see posts about different gigs in Lviv in small clubs and there are a lot of band that play different kinds of music – noise, indie, strange post-punk or shoegaze… or experimental folk. I’m glad that listeners have got a choice where they can go to listen to music and learn some new bands or names.

Do you experience burnout and what do you do to relax and unwind?

Yeah, in the end of 2023 I had an emotional burnout but I try to meet my friends, go to different festivals and gigs, get new impressions and try to forget about my fatigue. Sometimes, it’s quite enough to sit in my room for a few days. Listening to music and looking through the window helps me to recharge my batteries 🙂

Which book / film / album / song / traditional dish / podcast / blog / artwork / building / meme best captures Ukraine for you?

  • Books – Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors
  • Film – Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors
  • Album – A Dream by Katya Chilly
  • Song – “You’re a Moon” by Katya Chilly
  • Traditional dish – halushky
  • Podcast – Галас, bubbles
  • Blog – серуха дозор
  • Building – a lot of 🙂
  • Meme – phrase “If you don’t eat salo, you can’t dance Hopak” 🙂

Who should I interview next and what should I ask them?

Misha from Anhedonia, Seira from пуща [Pusca], Ganna Bryzhata from Bryozone… and ask them the same.

 

 

JANUARY 16, 2024 – KATOWICE, POLAND

photo by Kirill Potapkin

Paloven

I’m Paloven, a producer from Ukraine, and I make electronic pop music with hi-nrg, EBM, disco and house elements. I’ve always been interested in putting together “packages” of music, narrative, and visuals, and I work in album/EP cycles with long breaks in between. Before Paloven, I had a project called Violet Dust.

Has the full-scale invasion changed the way you think about music, and sound in general, and has it had an impact on your playlist?

Not my playlist, no. Despite the horrific circumstance, I’ve never really deliberately looked for music to soundtrack my present reality. I’m usually drawn to certain bits and pieces in songs that I enjoy, like an instrumental passage or texture, vocal melisma, etc., so the tone of the song is irrelevant as long as those elements are there. Although I suppose most music I listen to has a melancholic undertone. Now, whether the war influenced the sound of Paloven, the project… I suppose, but I can’t pinpoint how. For the last 2 years life has been on autopilot, not much time or desire to dig in the subconscious yet.

Are there any Ukrainian releases from the past year and a half that you feel can help make sense of current events?

I’d recommend New Knives by Kadiristy. Not necessarily because it can “help make sense of current events,” but because it’s good music from a friend in Ukraine which deserves more attention.

Paloven – Crisis Academy

Your album Crisis Academy came out just before the full-scale Russian invasion. What can you tell us about its production process and how would you say your sound has developed since then taking into account your inclusion in the recent Regular Disco VA compilation from January 2024?

In fact, it came out a day before the invasion – a testament to how improbable a full-scale invasion seemed at the time. It’s funny to look back at, like a snapshot of who I was before the devastation began. It felt very cathartic to write because it’s purposely absurd in certain places, to soundtrack what it felt like being gay, in my late 20s, in Ukraine. It’s also the first “package” where I really experimented with gear, vocal rhythmics, sound design, etc. It’s a shame that I didn’t get to celebrate or do much with the record, but I’m proud of it nonetheless.

The music I’m writing now is a little more subdued and lyrically shrouded in metaphor, like an antithesis to the previous record. I wouldn’t directly attribute this shift to the full-scale invasion, at least not on the surface level. And Regular Disco has given me aptle opportunities in the past, so I’m happy to be included on their first original release too. It’s a close-knit collaboration where everyone sort of “gets” what you do by default.

photo by Mark Katantsev

How do you see the Ukrainian electronic and dance music scene develop under present circumstances? And is the club scene in Ukraine sufficiently inclusive?

From what I see, it manages to thrive under pressure and limitation. New acts are surfacing, and there’s a shift in the openness of venues/publications to showcase local talent. When I talk to various musicians in Kyiv – ranging from newcomers to professionals – most share the same perspective: “If not now, when?” I imagine if you live under constant threat, you start thinking about the legacy you leave behind.

What would you say the West still gets wrong about Ukraine, if anything?

Depends on what we consider the collective “West” here. Regular people are sometimes oblivious but cautiously curious about the situation back home – I get it, not everyone understands the varied perspectives and political nuances within Ukraine. And most sleep perfectly well at night because the situation doesn’t concern them or their loved ones – this is a reality that is challenging but necessary to understand in immigration. Politically, I believe many officials in the West would still gladly go to dinners with putin, operating on the fleeting hope that everything could revert to normalcy, reducing the conflict to mere “misunderstanding” between two powers. Thus, it takes some persistent convincing on a political level to access the support Ukraine needs to win, which is a shame.

photo by Kirill Potapkin

Do you experience burnout and what do you do to relax and unwind?

Consuming and writing music is the go-to method. But combatting music burnout is a little more tricky.. I suppose I just take breaks, very long breaks.

Who should I interview next and what should I ask them?

Anyone from the Regular Disco circle, perhaps those who are featured on the compilation alongside me. Or Radiant Futur, if you haven’t yet talked to them, of course.

 

 

JANUARY 16, 2024

Yarema Malashchuk and Roman Khimei

Yarema Malashchuk and Roman Khimei

As a creative duo, we were formed after the Maidan revolution in 2014. During the revolution, we were completing our studies at the film institute in Kyiv. At that time, we became interested in the collective hero in the frame or it would be correct to identify them as extras from a filmmaker’s perspective. Later, most of our films and video installations focus on communities or temporary gatherings of people within the framework of a non-narrative film.

With the beginning of the full-scale invasion, for the first time in our practice, we turned the camera lens on ourselves. At that moment, it made no sense to oppose ourselves as film observers to Ukrainian society. It seems that no one could speak for themselves anymore. Any personal statement became a common one. Yarema and I kept many photos of dead russian soldiers. Seeing a photo of a dead occupier meant getting hope that we would stay alive.

The Wanderer (2022)

In our film performance The Wanderer we decided to recreate the “poses” in which the dead bodies of the russian occupiers lay. The visual marker of our work is easily recognizable, it refers to things we know, to the figure of the wanderer in the paintings of Caspar David Friedrich. Matthew Barney once emphasized that the figures in Friedrich’s paintings are not observers, but rather full-fledged overseers who manage the land, which is felt in his body position. This mythology of figures in Friedrich’s paintings speaks of the desire and ability to control and dominate nature. I would like our work to be like the final part of this colonial mythology, where the body of the dead colonizer dissolves without a trace in the fields and valleys.

Eplosions Near the Museum

Your most recent work Explosions Near the Museum (2023) is centered on the Kherson Museum of Local Lore which was looted by Russian troops shortly before the liberation of the city. The sound of explosions was recorded less than 2km from the frontline. How important is sound in conveying the reality of the full-scale invasion and what part would you say it holds in contributing to PTSD? Also, how important is sound in general in your work?

We recorded the sound used in the film during one day of filming in the museum. The museum was then a place over which shells of all types of russian artillery flew. You can’t see it in the film but can hear it. I remember when we started filming in a museum hall dedicated to the Second World War. It was quite dark, the explosions of the real war were heard all the time, the russians were shelling the neighboring area, and we were standing there looking at the looted showcases and a mine from the Second World War lying under our feet. It was like a caricature of the “moment of true recognition” about which W. Benjamin wrote.

The sounds of the explosions we recorded testify to the fragility of the looted museum as an institution, without artifacts and exhibits, only as a pure possibility in the future, which the russians are also attacking.

In most cases, we work with the documentary medium, but we always try to anticipate what the sound will be like, we approach sound as a separate film.

What do you think the West still gets wrong about Ukraine?

Sometimes West is so self-oriented even in self-criticism that it lacks the ability to see the crimes of neo-empire nearby.

Ukraine was a white spot on the map of Europe. Most of the narratives about Ukraine West was received from russia through centuries. It seems like not everyone understands that russia is an empire and Ukraine is an ex-colony that is defending itself.

To Whom Have You Abandoned Us, Our Father!

Your work To Whom Have You Abandoned Us, Our Father! references the opera Boris Godunov by Modest Mussorgsky. Back in December 2022, this opera was chosen to open the Opera season and the Scala theatre in Milan, Italy, drawing condemnation by the Ukrainian ambassador. Could you put into context your choice of this opera for your work?

After a full-scale invasion to play and perform Russian music means to legitimize the Russian politics against Ukraine. It is not about the music itself but about such an events held during such a time.

When we made the work in 2018 that refers to this opera, the main argument was that the people should have their agency therefore responsibility for their actions. The People both as a character and as performers are crying for help and do not change through the entire duration of the opera. In our film we make a critical point that this is not a burden but a stupidity.

Dedicated to the Youth of the World

Back in 2019 you produced the artwork Dedicated to the Youth of the World II where you transformed the space of The Dovzhenko film studios in Kyiv into a rave Cxema. What was the inspiration behind this piece and have you been tempted to revisit it in light of current events and considering how the clubbing scene has changed since the full-scale invasion and the introduction of martial law?

Actually, in September 2023 we did a reenactment of our 2019 film. The idea behind was quite simple: to make a shot-by-shot copy of a previous movie in order to show how much the scene has changed and how Ukraine’s nightlife is actively trying to be back on tracks.

Thank you for your questions!

 

JANUARY 17, 2024 – KYIV

photo by by Alina Harmash

Khrystyna Kirik

 

JANUARY 18, 2024 – KYIV

MissDye – Santa Gabbiano

Hello! Everyone calls me Rybka – let it be.

I have been into music since childhood (Pink Floyd, Lloyd Webber, and Shocking Blue on vinyl, then Depeche Mode on tape, and Marilyn Manson & Slipknot on CD). However, I never had the opportunity to learn to play an instrument (I really wanted to play the piano, drums and violin), so I continued to paint, and to perform in the local theatre. I was also planning on becoming an architect… but became a movie-maker instead!

At the same time, I also liked electronic music, but more diverse and not what we just call туц-туц [tuts-tuts], something that was quite difficult to find at parties in Kyiv, so at 28 I radically changed my direction and became a DJ and event organizer.

All the while, I didn’t stop filming, but switched to shooting aftermovies and invitations to events, as well as video sets – I saw a lot of such foreign productions, so I decided to develop this direction here as well, and to get a good quality camera. At first, I prepared mixes from the best releases of the month of heavy and broken music and collected some interesting selections and filmed on one or two cameras (that was the beginning of my deejaying). I always wanted everything at once, so I always combined the “incompatible”.

Eventually, when I read of a remix competition from the Dutch drum and bass group Black Sun Empire three days before the deadline, I suddenly decided to start creating tracks! Of course, I didn’t win, but that got me started into producing tracks, as can be heard in the track wArTrack I did for Nina Eba’s podcast Air Raid Siren.

Actually, since then I have been involved in events, filming, deejaying (I even taught for a while – I have several “graduates” :), and lately I have deeply immersed myself in the development of my own project – I am currently opening my own space, where Everything will be! Searching for locations was very exhausting, both morally and logistically, and also took a lot of time.

Has the full-scale invasion changed the way you think about music, and sound in general, and has it had an impact on your playlist?

I can’t say what influenced the perception of music or sound in general, but it definitely influenced my playlist – I think I don’t need to explain this 🙂

You are part of the AT178rave multi-genre project. How would you say the electronic and rave scene has changed over the course of the past couple of years and how do you see it developing under present circumstances?

Yes, I am part of and a founder of AT178rave. Generally speaking, in terms of the rave scene, I can only say that in our country, the parties were previously narrowly focused – just on one genre and with little variety of music (which is why I created my own promos and projects:). Actually, AT178rave was something strange for people, and there was a lot of hate. At first, I mixed music genres at one event, then art (combined music with art: paintings, posters, clothes, tattoos, etc.) – and eventually it caught on and other promos began to do multi-genre events: both in terms of music and art.

Of course, the scene has experienced upheavals over the past few years: first, there were bans due to covid, then came the full-scale invasion, which fundamentally changed everything – all events became fundraisers and were moved to the daytime.

As for predictions, I’d better refrain, but knowing our power and ingenuity, something cool and interesting is definitely ahead!

Where are you now and have you been displaced by war at any point?

I am in Kyiv and have been here throughout the full-scale invasion. Having survived the first months of destruction, we “reformatted” our community from ravers to the defenders’ rearguard, we helped supply the army with the necessary equipment, which in the beginning was quite difficult, but already in May of 2022 we prepared the first fundraising music and art event, collecting funds and other help for children that suffered from the war.

As for the sound environment, it has become cleaner and sharper at the same time: there is no certain noise of civilization, but sirens and shelling do occur.

How do you feel about the inclusion of “war sounds” in recent releases by Ukrainian artists and are there any specific sounds you find triggering? Also, how do you feel about bayraktar-core music?

All sounds, I believe, should be appropriate, and when you just put the sound of a siren in a track – it can sometimes be perceived as disrespectful, even though I myself put the sound of a siren in two of my tracks, one before and one after the full-scale invasion, but I did so consciously and deliberately, and hopefully in a meaningful way.

When these sounds manage to carry the essence, depth and atmosphere of life, they convey it to those who want to experience it, or even reach those who are indifferent – which is good.

It’s like a movie – everything must be played correctly. My two loves: music and cinema are inseparable.

Do you experience burnout and what do you do to relax and unwind?

As for burnout, I have been making sure that this does not happen for a long time, but of course, in the natural flow of things, sometimes there is severe fatigue due to millions of factors. The best solution is to get enough sleep)) Of course, one also needs to change locations, communicate, share (!) and be inspired by new things.

Who should I interview next and what should I ask them?

  • NutritionDubs – ask about the process of writing tracks and selecting titles, and their feeling for music.
  • iRoll (Моторный Рома) & bOOsh789 – DJs from the 90s and 00s, their promotional group brought world stars to Ukraine. Roma (iRoll) plays and writes music in different genres, Lyosha (bOOsh789) plays halfstep.
  • CHWBX – a young DJ. Ask him how he creates his music.
  • Bad District is a well-known dnb producer who has trained many new producers.
  • Delight – a DJ and producer from Dnipro, she organized events in Kharkiv. She worked for 12 years in an animal shelter and repeatedly donated the funds. From the beginning of the full-scale war she took part in charity events as a DJ & organizer in Kyiv, and took part in the evacuation of animals from hot spots.
  • Dub Killer a dubstep producer and DJ originally from Kharkiv and famous in America. During the full-scale war he came to play in Irpin to raise funds for the reconstruction of the city.
  • Vodor L. Zeck he came from Germany to Ukraine to write music & stayed here (but in winter he went back to Germany:) Also, he came to Kyiv to play in our charity event in September 2022.

 

 

 

 

JANUARY 18, 2024 – WROCLAW

photo by Liza Vlasenko

Postman

I was born in Kyiv in 1991 into a family of engineers. In the early 2000s, my mother attended English language courses, receiving plenty of audio cassettes with lessons. Besides the audio tasks, a few songs were recorded on those cassettes, and one evening, while doing homework with her, I heard The Beatles for the first time in my life. That day, I decided to become a musician, a decision that essentially brings me to where I am now.

Has the full-scale invasion changed the way you think about music, and sound in general, and has it had an impact on your playlist?

Music has always been present in my life, both in good and bad times. And so it is now. I lean more towards instrumental music, especially ambient. I’ve also delved deep into Brazilian music, and honestly, I find the fact that I don’t understand the lyrics unless I translate them very comfortable. That’s probably the thing that changed significantly, as I used to be deeply into lyrics and poetry. I’m not sure if it’s an impact of the invasion; it might just be that I’m tired of the additional layer of information that lyrics bring up and would love not to relate.

photo by Roman Klyuz

What are your influences and has your Ukrainian folk music heritage played a part in your sound at all?

It’s constantly changing. As I mentioned earlier, ’60s music was a huge influence back in the day and sort of built the fundament of everything. However, it changed later and is constantly changing. I don’t think that music influences me that much in general nowadays. I draw inspiration from different sources, like visual arts, digesting those experiences, and then, with the help of music, tell it my way. If we talk about Ukrainian folklore – yes, it definitely influenced me, but I discovered all those interesting things in my 20s. Growing up in Kyiv in the ’90s was not the best environment for delving into folklore. However, now I see that, for example, traditional Christmas songs (koliadky) that I loved to sing with my granny played a super important role and opened the gate to later discoveries for me.

photo by Liza Vlasenko

Your album Still Life came out last November 2023. What can you tell us about its making and its lyrics? 

The new album was a pure bliss to make. For the first time in my life, I worked in such a fantastic studio, surrounded by green forests and mountains. That played a huge role in the way the album sounds and its mood. Ignacy Gruszecki, who recorded and mixed the whole thing, was a great collaborator, and I’m super grateful for the experiences we shared at the studio. Still Life means a life on pause, a frozen life. However, those songs were greatly influenced by visual arts and have somewhat a painterly quality, and the name resembles this. Regarding the lyrics – the idea was to use the verbal form to describe the feelings, to immerse the listener in an atmosphere, not necessarily to tell a story. I don’t have much to say nowadays with words. We live in times where it has become almost a rule to explain what you have meant by saying something, and I’m not interested in that at all.

photo by Kris Kulakovska

Where are you now and have you been displaced by war at any point?

I haven’t lived in Kyiv on a permanent basis for about 5-6 years. I spent some time in Berlin, and for the last couple of years, I’ve been based in Wroclaw. It’s definitely my favorite city in Poland, and I wrote a lot of music here.

Are there any Ukrainian releases from the past couple of years that you feel can help make sense of current events?

I think it’s important to clarify that russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, and even though life in Kyiv and other cities at first glance seemed completely normal from 2014 to 2022, it was not. Many artists sensed it. Yes, the battlefield was far, but the presence of war was in the air. If we want to find music that predicted the future invasion, we need to look back to 2015-2016. I believe “Survival Folk” by Sasha Boole was one of those things.

photo by Max Zaika

How do you see the folk music scene develop in Ukraine under present circumstances?

I believe it’s a crucial time for Ukrainian music in general, and we still need time to digest everything released since 2022. People have become more interested in traditional music and culture, a sort of ‘back to the roots’ movement, but I believe we need more time to see the impact of these ongoing changes.

What would you say the West still gets wrong about Ukraine, if anything?

I don’t really understand what the West is and where it begins. Living in central Europe makes these divisions even less sensible. So I would say this – countries that do not neighbor russia underestimate the danger. To ignore or dismiss the warnings of so-called Eastern Europe and Ukraine, in particular, is a huge mistake that leads to a catastrophe for the whole continent. In 2022, I wrote a song called “The Good Old World”, and that’s what I still think about.

photo by Roman Klyuz

Do you experience burnout and what do you do to relax and unwind?

I’m not sure if what I’ve experienced and probably still experiencing is called burnout. For me, the world as I knew it collapsed in 2022, and I had to rebuild a sort of structure from scratch. So I don’t know where to start, and I would also prefer to keep it personal. There are tools that help you stay sane, but there’s no magic. It’s possible, but it’s hard, painful, and there’s no chance to solve it in an elegant way.

photo by Liza Vlasenko

Which book / film / album / song / traditional dish / podcast / blog / artwork / building / meme best captures Ukraine for you?

Ok, I’ll pick a few.

  • Film – Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1967)
  • Song – DakhaBrakha – “Monakh“
  • Building – Hotel Salut in Kyiv
  • Artwork – Full Moon by Ivan Marchuk

Who should I interview next and what should I ask them?

Blooms Corda. Ask Danylo what he can say to the 2015 version of himself.

 

 

JANUARY 19, 2024 – GREECE

photo by Liena Raiska

Mykola Mykhalenkov / Hidden Self

Until recently, I lived all my life in the city of Kyiv and had no idea I would need to look for another city to stay. Raised in a family of scientists, I have dreamed a lot about becoming a musician, but due to various reasons, my life hasn’t given me a chance to learn to play any instrument. Six years ago, I started my career as a software engineer, which is still my daily job. Also, around that time, a friend of mine, also a producer and live act, introduced me to Rhythm Büro events. The next day, I came home, installed Ableton Live, and started doing techno. Prior to this, I mostly listened to different kinds of metal, from Black Sabbath and Venom to some underground Japanese grindcore bands, and had almost no experience with electronic music.

Has the full-scale invasion changed the way you think about music and sound in general, and has it had an impact on your playlist?

During these six years in music, I quit a couple of times, selling all my gear and promising myself I would never come back to it. But somehow, after the war started, I came back to producing techno and started playing quite a lot of live acts and organised a series of events called 55 Reflections together with my wife. I wouldn’t say that the full-scale invasion changed my sound much or the music I enjoy listening to. The only thing that really changed is the presence of russian artists in my playlist. As you probably can guess, there are none of them I listen to nowadays.

Where are you now, and have you been displaced by war at any point?

At the moment, I live in Greece. I decided to leave Ukraine because of reasons I do not want to disclose.

Has your sonic environment changed noticeably since the full-scale invasion?

Like most Ukrainians, I became accustomed to hearing rocket strikes and drones being shot down over my roof, falling somewhere nearby, sometimes still producing a lot of harm. In such an environment, loud noises, such as fireworks and cars without exhaust mufflers, start to trigger you. And it is something that would probably take quite a long time to get rid of.

photo by Anna Kydun at 55 Reflections, Mezzanine

How do you feel about the inclusion of “war sounds” in recent releases by Ukrainian artists, and are there any specific sounds you find triggering? Also, how do you feel about bayraktar-core music?

I’m pretty okay with the inclusion of “war sound” in music if it serves a purpose. As a person who stayed in Kyiv all this time, I have heard sounds ranging from gunfire a couple of buildings away to fighter jets flying and Iranian drones being shot down over my house. Probably, my “favourite” is waking up at 3 AM from the missile launches of an MIM-104 Patriot anti-air missile system. But I would not say that those same sounds can trigger me when recorded and played back. There is a lot more physical feeling hearing those sounds live.

As for bayraktar-core music, I would not say that it is somehow right or wrong. Personally, I do not like it. But it becomes totally wrong when someone is just trying to hype on such themes and patriotism. And it usually makes a huge resonance in the music community.

How do you see the electronic music scene developing under present circumstances?

First of all, the lack of foreign artists created a temporary vacuum in lineups, which was quickly occupied by newly arising Ukrainian talents, including me, and it gave our scene a great boost. For quite some time, we had only events with all local artists, and still, most parties have only one foreign artist, if any. Curfew, which begins at midnight and continues till 5 AM, made nightlife impossible, so now all the events usually start at around 3 PM and continue till 10-11 PM, so all the visitors as well as artists and organizers can get home before curfew starts.

I also see that more and more people get into electronic music production. Our music production and live act school, Module Exchange, is doing pretty well, and other DJ and production schools too. Basically, everybody is doing their best for our scene to grow and develop in such hard times. For a lot of Ukrainians, nightlife became an essential part of their lives, a strong and solid community, and won’t give it even a chance to die.

Adisset b2b Hidden Self at 55 Reflections photo by Illia Leontiev

What would you say the West still gets wrong about Ukraine, if anything?

I would not say that the West gets a lot of things wrong about Ukraine. The most frequent things I ran into were ignorance and a lack of interest in what is happening on their doorstep. Everybody is just trying to live their lives and not complicate things with a conflict that does not involve their country or themselves directly. Pretending that this conflict is none of your concern, thinking that somehow everything will be solved without your attention and without you taking part in it is the worst thing not only for Western people but the whole world population could do. During the Second World War, all major countries united to defeat Germany and stop the genocide. And today it is not different at all. The war is far closer than one might think. And one would better provide as much support to Ukraine as possible than later find one’s country invaded, one’s relatives suffering or killed, one’s house burned to the ground with all belongings.

I would say that Western people still get a lot of things wrong about so-called russia. And I would say it because almost every Ukrainian speaks two languages from childhood – Ukrainian and russian. And It gives us a unique ability to see how much the so-called russia is messed up with the naked eye. I strongly recommend everyone to take some time to research information about this war, spread the word, and donate money if there is a spare coin. Every euro makes a difference. Ukrainians found 1000 and 1 way to convert this money into an advantage on the battlefield and basically became experts in doing so.

Do you experience burnout, and what do you do to relax and unwind?

I would say every Ukrainian experiences burnout. And I am no different. The things that help me are personal growth and development because the worst thing one could probably do during such hard times is to put your life on pause and wait for our victory to come. That’s one of the reasons why I started to invest far more time into my work, music production, and my knowledge. When I just want to unwind, I can visit a party or just sit at home and play some video games, hang out with friends in our favourite bars or visit my wife’s parents, whose presence calms me a lot.

Which book / film / album / song / traditional dish / podcast / blog / artwork / building / meme best captures Ukraine for you?

I would probably suggest watching a film called My Thoughts Are Silent, if there is an English translation. I enjoyed it a lot and can relate to a lot of things.

Who should I interview next, and what should I ask them?

I would probably suggest interviewing Adisset – a good old friend of mine and a person who brought me into the world of electronic music. Ukraine has a lot of well known talents, but even more, we have hidden gems who are sitting at home and doing amazing music for years already, just not much determined to bring it out to the public effectively.

Also, I would suggest interviewing Vadym Griboedov, who runs a shop and production of modular synthesisers and a community of like minded people interested in electronic music tech and production called Machineroom.

 

 

JANUARY 19, 2024

Surie

My name is David, I’m from Dnipro, Ukraine.

 I guess my background is pretty common. 
I fell in love with music and especially with electronic music when I was six. 
Then the teenage era at drum & bass/breakbeat/dubstep parties and raves.

 After deejaying for a while, I realized that I want to create something on my own.
 It was the start of this music production journey, which has already been almost 15 years. 
It turns to making commercial background music, and sometimes I write music just for myself as Surie.

Has the full-scale invasion changed the way you think about music, and sound in general, and has it had an impact on your playlist?

During the first month of the full-scale invasion, I didn’t listen to music at all. 
It was as if my instincts told me to be attentive to the environment, listen to what is happening right now near you, and be ready to act.
Eventually, music came back into my routine. 
It helped me remember that I am still the same person I was before all this started.

My playlist is always changing. Currently, it includes more peaceful music, and I’ve returned to listening to original soundtracks from movies and video games. 
I have also rediscovered folk, indie folk, and folk rock genres for myself.

Back in December you released the EP Fields on Kasthan. What can you tell us about its sound and production process?

The production process was typical for me. 
90% of the time, it’s a struggle! 😀 
The idea comes, and then it’s about searching for suitable synth sounds, finding appropriate samples, creating a drum loop, constant editing, pitching, resampling, and changing tempo. And, of course, the endless process of seeking a good mixdown.

The most difficult part was making the track “Fields.” It is inspired by Ukrainian agricultural fields that I remember from my childhood trips to my grandma’s village. I felt a responsibility to make it sound perfect as a tribute to my childhood memories. 
The pressure I created for myself in my head turned into a nightmare of music production.

It reminded me that, first of all, I need to love what I’m doing and enjoy the process instead of searching for perfection.
 Eventually, I found the sound I was looking for only when I switched my mindset.

Are there any Ukrainian releases from the past couple of years that you feel can help make sense of current events?

It is definitely VOICES by Vera Logdanidi. Everything, from the stories to the sound design and artwork, reflects what is happening to people across the entire country.

Also, I really like the song “кацапи” by the Ukrainian band TIK. The song has simple and straightforward lyrics that, in my opinion, can help understand how Ukrainians feel about russians.
 Just, fuck off, guys, and let us live our lives in our beautiful country.

How do you feel about the inclusion of “war sounds” in recent releases by Ukrainian artists and are there any specific sounds you find triggering? Also, how do you feel about bayraktar-core music?

Unfortunately, “war sounds” have become a significant part of Ukraine’s soundscape, particularly air raid sirens and explosions for most civilians.
 Animals are also adapting to this new reality.
 This makes it a distressing experience for all living creatures. 
I think that artists who add war sounds to their music are simply trying to convey this reality to the rest of the world, especially those who live in countries unaffected by war.

As long as bayraktar-core music provides some Ukrainians with motivational and uplifting emotions, cheering them up, it needs to be created. 
I believe that when good peaceful times come, bayraktar-core will fade into history.

How do you see the electronic music scene develop under present circumstances?

Present circumstances force promoters, DJs, and producers to use their skills and opportunities to help the Ukrainian army and civilians through the music scene. 
Fundraising is a powerful tool. 
For example, the guys from ‘Repair Together’ go even further; they restore communities that suffered from the occupation by organizing construction raves. Ravers build houses while DJs play techno.

After almost two years since the full-scale Russian invasion, what would you say the West still gets wrong about Ukraine, if anything?

Ukraine now is a border between democracy and totalitarianism. 
If Ukraine falls, it will be a trigger for all totalitarian regimes on our planet to act. 
There is still a misunderstanding about how serious this war is for global peace and how crucial it is to help Ukraine win this battle.

Do you experience burnout and what do you do to relax and unwind?

I can’t properly answer to this question, because I’m currently in the biggest burnout in my life so far 😀

Which book / film / album / song / traditional dish / podcast / blog / artwork / building / meme best captures Ukraine for you?

The works of Les Podervianskyi as a writer gave me the push to love Ukrainian culture when I was a teen. So it is definitely his satirical short plays.

The music of DakhaBrakha is just outstanding! Sometimes it is like listening to the soundtrack of a fantasy fairytale. 
My favorite is the song “Alambari”; it is sad but really calming at the same time.

If we talk about food, it is, of course, borscht with beans (plant-based version) also called postniy borsh. By the way, go vegan! 🙂

 

 

JANUARY 19, 2024 – CHERKASY

Rozpusta

Hi! My name is Vlad Khlivitskyi, but розпуста is my music alias (rozpusta –  debauchery in Ukrainian). I’m from Cherkasy, Ukraine. I am shocked to say that I’m already 23, and I feel younger than my actual age :–). Yeah, I have strange relationships with music – I love her (not it) but sometimes we are disconnected at all. She is my savior and therapist if I have a difficult period, or I want to capture my emotion.

My music taste is heavily influenced by music of the past: Ukrainian Eurodance from the 90s, Detroit techno, and some three stoners from Berlin. I am grateful to Mykhaylo from Erythroleukoplakia Records. Back in 2021, I had a great kick in the ass from him, so I started considering music producing much more seriously than before, and at the end of 2021, we released my 3-track EP “депас’є” (depas’ye) on his label. I’ve combined hardcore, groovy, and elegant sounds. This was my ironically-serious reflection on my life experience in Kyiv and my lost relationship with Saf Homin. I self-portrayed myself as Mes, a hero of her piece. As I remember now, Mes was written by me, and Mes had gone crazy by the end of this play. Ironically, it was a precise prediction from her LMAO. But of course, I killed Mes, I was not interested in this character. So I decided to continue with thoughts about my future, not the past.

Has the full-scale invasion changed the way you think about music, and sound in general, and has it had an impact on your playlist?

Yeah, of course! It has impacted the way I think in general. The first release after the full-scale war is called nespokiy – restlessness in Ukrainian. This is a dark ambient track where I tried to capture the anxiety of not knowing what we all should do and the anger of all amorphous ruske people.

My playlist was heavily impacted by meeting core – Zhytomyr-based hardcore tekno art formation. Dima 030303 found me on SoundCloud and invited me to play at their event. As for me, it was a great possibility for me to throw old gabber tracks on their young and progressive audience. Now I’m digging a lot of modern hardcore dance tracks. I can’t even name this movement by words I know, so let’s call them hybrid mental tek.

So now I am more into producing some dreamy melancholic tek music. But I don’t let this melancholy kill the ironical aspect of my works.

You are a resident of ОЧІ. How do you see the electronic music scene developing in Ukraine under present circumstances?

Yeah, be_ca_di has invited me to be a part of his newborn community. I am very grateful to him for searching for new sounds of Ukraine. I don’t know how I feel about the modern Ukrainian electronic scene. Some promo groups seem too straightforward and dull, some of them are too narcissistic in my own opinion. I wish that the Kyiv audience would be a little more open to rough experiments with sound and their egos.

Where are you now and have you been displaced by war at any point?

I live where I was born. I have only mental shifts, geo stays the same.

Are there any Ukrainian releases from the past couple of years that you feel can help make sense of current events?

1,000,001 drones over Kyiv
Ame Loveї – Asotsiatsii{burned}
Matukhno – “Nameless March”

How do you feel about the inclusion of “war sounds” in recent releases by Ukrainian artists and are there any specific sounds you find triggering? Also, how do you feel about bayraktar-core music?

Bayraktar-core is not about art, for me, this is an urgent attempt to create a pop identity for the whole nation. This is an attempt that cannot become art. This is like a trend of the past.

I hate hearing war sounds in music. I can listen to someone’s experience, but hearing war sounds is like bad form.

How do you see the electronic music scene develop under current circumstances?

It’s hard to develop a music scene under the pressure of anxiety. as for me, the electronic scene is about hedonism and it’s hard to have fun when you have daily missile alerts.

What would you say the West still gets wrong about Ukraine, if anything?

I think a lot of Western people can’t understand all the possible schizo variations of the future that are now present in the modern russian agenda. russian war can expand to the entire Europe.

Do you experience burnout and what do you do to relax and unwind?

It’s a great question. I can feel that burnout, but I won’t let myself say that in real life conversations. I can’t imagine how horrible the situation is from the Ukrainian warrior’s perspective.

Which book / film / album / song / traditional dish / podcast / blog / artwork / building / meme best captures Ukraine for you?

urban_downgrade. This is an ironic urbanistic blog, curated by Volodymyr Буду Думати (Budu Dumaty), creator of Проникнення (proniknennya) alternative art association. This blog is like an urbanistic horror with the craziest characters, found on the streets.

Who should I interview next and what should I ask them?

Please write to:
Dima 030303 and ask him about the underground hardcore scene of Zhytomyr and his formation development.
Volodymyr Буду Думати, creator of Проникнення. Ask him about developing an art formation in Cherkasy and why Проникнення is now a Lviv-based community. Also, I would like to hear about their plans for the future.
Ame Loveї. A secret for you. Ask her about her sound and thoughts about the modern Ukrainian scene too.
Matukhno. Ask him about ways of development for a noise musician in Ukraine. Maybe more about the dark ambient | noise community of Ukraine.
Parking Spot. Ask Mark about his thoughts on ОЧІ label. And his future album on Dnipropop.

 

 

NEW RELEASES

Axis ~ Waveskania

“6 keys for individual short or slightly longer mental sessions, where the axis of focus is chosen directly by the listener.”


Polemosophy ~ La Horsa Bianca

“POLEMOSOPHY is a suite
that takes a journey through our headspace
as we find ourselves in a war zone
the size of our entire country
(which is pretty damn big)

Various mental cul-de-sacs
where our minds get caught
transform into wordless stories
that help us become unstuck
at least for a bit

Let it take you somewhere
too”


COUNTEROFFENSIVE ~ mystictrax

“In these difficult times, we all need confidence in a bright future, good mood and a charge of electro-adrenaline. That’s why musicians like Poly Chain, Ufaze, Lectromagnetique, Aura Nox, Lefrenk, Sider, Lostlojic, DJ KISSLOVE, Radiant Futur, Luschn and Rusiiick and Ukrainian military Raavel, Distortion (UA), and Bodro have united to raise your spirits and create a musical counteroffensive! Available on Limited Edition USB Players and digitally from 1st December.”

100% sales will be donated to musiciansdefendukraine.com

 

Kyiv Noise Market ~ Andrii Barmalii X Olexandr Yavdyk X Khystyna Kirik

“Embark on an avant-garde sonic journey blending nostalgia with future visions. Explore post-apocalyptic soundscapes shaped by screens, food networks, and invisible phenomena. In a futuristic KyivFoodMarket underground, witness a fusion of reality and future in a dynamic atmosphere. Synthetic elements permeate the air as oxytocin and consciousness synchronize in a precise dance. Artificial sunlight from plant-powered batteries complements the soundtrack of creation and immunity, encapsulating emotional fragility in this digital universe. This audio exploration introduces auto-stimulators and an Internet vision device, expanding sonic dimensions with the aid of a power bank for an enriched musical experience. (Text generated by ChatGPT)”

 

Breaking into Baikonur (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) ~ Artem Baburin & Dmytro Avksentiev

Original music composed by Artem Baburin and Dmytro Avksentiev for the movie Breaking into Baikonur brought to life by the Insiders Project team.

 

REGULARDISCO: VA Pt.1 ~ Various Artists

“As a label we look up to uplifting side of music. Our way was always to combine many genres rather than stick to one – that’s also the idea behind this release – to showcase a range from poppy disco, funk, and house to a bit darker indie-dance, italo, and EBM directions.

We are on a mission to discover and support talented Ukrainian producers, some of whom are yet to receive the recognition they deserve and encourage artists accustomed to different genres to explore new avenues within our chosen music styles.”

 

now we have pain ~ walakos

“When the smoke clears and only the pain remains, most likely, it will choose the signs of chronic. This essential human element does not allow us to be in illusions, to close our eyes to reality or to deceive ourselves. He returns directly to the present moment and obliges to be honest with himself. Despite the indescribable experiences, we will feel alive as never before. After all, pain is a property of living and, therefore, active beings.” (walakos)

 

CRYSTALINE ~ Deadspacer

New albums by Deadspacer out on ОЧІ. The deadly power of the crystals in the distorted space of the permafrost illuminates your way.

 

контакт ~ Difference Machine

“this album was created by combining two things: sounds of Ukrainian traditional music and sounds of the current war.
sounds used in this album:

– Ukrainian traditional instruments:
skrypka; lira; bubon; bandura; voice.

– sounds of war:
gunfire; fighter jets; vehicles; tanks; radio communication; other various weapons.

these sounds were recorded across Ukraine during the full-scale russian invasion. no synthesisers were used, only samplers and effects to process the recorded sounds.”

 

Drones for Drones, Volume 2 ~ various artists

All proceeds from the sale of this cassette and digital album will be used to purchase drones for friends serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

 

Banksia EP ~ Vera Logdanidi

“On the EP, Logdanidi has three original works and a remix. The title track on A1 is a great sample of Rhythm Büro’s endeavored sound; groovy and hypnotizing. Following the A1 is a track called ‘Root System’, which continues this theme with a bit of a brain melter that showcases Vera’s love for all things dubby. ‘Essence’, the B1 on the flip side, takes the listener on a journey through Logdanidi’s housier side yet continues the theme adeptly. Closing the record, and bringing it to its logical conclusion, on B2 is a remix from deep techno maestro, Claudio PRC. Having played at one of Rhythm Büro’s events in Kyiv previously and being a like-minded individual turned friend, Claudio is poised to make his debut on the label as well. A perfect match indeed!”

 

Starlit Sky | Зоряне Небо ~ Anna Pidgorna

“My settings of poetry by Lesya Ukrainka – one the preeminent Ukrainian writers and thinkers working at the turn of the 20th century – were a way to forge connection in a time of pandemic and war. In this small cycle of poems, the poet speaks to a lonely star, projecting her own feelings of melancholy and isolation onto this distant, cool speck. Friends and lovers separated by distance have long comforted themselves by looking up at the same stars, knowing that at least their gazes can embrace in that same light. As we wrote, recorded and mixed in Vancouver (Canada), Princeton and Los Angeles (United States), and Chernivtsi and Dnipro (Ukraine), these songs became our shared stars. I dedicate these songs to folk singer and ethnomusicologist Iryna Danylejko, who has been my most important guide on the journey through Ukrainian folk music over the last 11 years.”

– Anna Pidgorna

 

VIEWING ROOM

(Gianmarco Del Re)

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