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On October 19, the American online music publication Pitchfork published a review of the collection of Ukrainian music of the 1970s and 90s “Azh gai gude”. A review of the anthology was written by Maria Sonevytska, a musicologist and associate professor of the Department of Anthropology and Music at Bard College in New York.
American online music media Pitchfork rated the collection 8.3/10.
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Mariya Sonevytska is also the author of the books “Wild Music: Sound and Sovereignty in Ukraine” and “Tantsi”, which is dedicated to the band VV.
The carefully prepared collection called “Even the Forest Hums: Ukrainian Sonic Archives 1971-1996” is perceived as a sound balm and a reminder that Ukraine is not just some peripheral territory. The ambition of this musical anthology is huge: to restore, rehabilitate and celebrate experiments in Ukrainian popular music in all their complete and wild complexity, – writes Maria Sonevytska.
“Azh gai gude” is the first complete collection of Ukrainian music, which was recorded before and immediately after the collapse of the USSR. The collection was released by the independent American label Light in the Attic Records, which is focused on preserving the musical heritage.
The owner of the label, Matt Sullivan, together with the Ukrainian label “Shukai Records” worked on the compilation for five years. Among the artists presented in “Azh gai gude…” are Kobza, Vodogray, Kyrylo Stetsenko, Radiodilo, Svitlana Nianyo, Ihor Tsymbrovskyi and others.
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p>The cover features the work of Maria Primachenko.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000Prymachenko is an example of an artist whose bold experiments – sometimes supported by Soviet art critics, and sometimes suppressed – have become part of the complex legacy of modern Ukrainian society. This attempt to integrate an ambiguous history is also reflected in some of the musical choices, says the Pitchfork review.
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Posted by shukai.”
The author of the review notes that the curatorial choice gravitates towards atmosphere. And if you were looking for fiery hits, you might find yourself on the dance floor swaying to Er's looping hip beats instead. Jazz (abbreviation of “Erotic Jazz”) and periodic flute solos.
A bold attempt to cover a quarter of a century of the country's little-known musical heritage in one anthology means that some may quibble about certain choices and gaps. The two-chord jam “Yarn” (1992), despite the use of a folk dulcimer, is repetitive; the atmospheric track “Barreras” by the musician of the Ukrainian diaspora in Spain Iuri Leh slows down the pace … However, the wide scope of the anthology – from state folk rock to disco, exotic, concrete music and jazz in its various manifestations – offers a fascinating introduction to the scale and diversity of Ukrainian music, – says the article.
Maria Sonevytska writes that the rare and eclectic songs of this anthology refute convenient stereotypes and should remind us that we should not treat the strange power of music too lightly. Even slow, shimmering songs can be an act of resistance.
Pitchfork is an American online music publication founded in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog. The site has become popular for its daily music reviews, and regularly publishes reviews of reissues and box sets.
Every year, the site compiles lists of the best albums and songs of the year, and publishes annual reviews and retrospectives. In the 1990s and 2000s, site reviews, whether positive or negative, had a significant impact on making or breaking music careers.