ken=en’s простій may bear a title whose translation means simple, but nothing about the album is simple. The album is packed with beats and samples, but it’s not entirely a dance album; field recordings surface and occasionally comprise entire tracks. The music draws from many electronic eras and genres, making the listening experience feel like a late-night radio show. Given the enigmatic nature of Kyiv producer Pavlo Okhrimchuk, the listener is left to translate, ponder and enjoy.
“чорне молоко” makes a strong start, showcasing scratches and hip-hop beats, a throwback piece that brings back memories of the early days of mix DJs. Chimes and vocal loops provide additional support, holding the fort until guitar and brass join the fray. The big beats of this and other early tracks draw the listener into the mix, leaving one slightly unprepared for the left turns that ken=en will make.
The first of these is “зі сходу на захід” (“From East to West”), which shifts from ambient to trip-hop. We’ve moved forward a decade, as if the producer is traveling through time. The next piece is beatless for most of its span; “амур” (“Cupid”) is entirely ambient, and the delightfully titled “у кавоварці була риба!” (“There Was a Fish in the Coffee Maker!”) is a conversation we wish we could understand. Where did this fish come from? Where did it go?
Tiptoeing slowly out of this silence, ken=en introduces piano and textured synth, preparing for a powerful second half. The beats return in “сутінь” (“Twilight”), vaulting from tri-hop to drum ‘n’ bass, another decade traversed, and the club kids spill their drinks and race back to the dance floor. “немає кращого місця на землі ніж рідний дім” (“There Is No Better Place on Earth Than Your Own Home”) is downright euphoric, its bursts of percussion so energizing that one might almost – almost – forget that there’s a war going on. This is the constant tug of war in Ukraine’s electronic scene: to offer both recognition and respite, dancing between the bombs, a different, yet crucial form of victory. (Richard Allen)
a closer listen 