MEU September/1 24 newsletter

MEU September/1 24 newsletter

Blog

This month’s issue is packed with highlights including an in-depth exploring of Ukraine’s 1990s underground scene, Heinali and Yasia’s performance at the Unsound Festival, a playlist curated by Daria Kolomiec honoring Ukrainian musicians who defend their country, and more!

 Read on to discover more about these exciting updates and events:

  • Premiere Alert! We’re thrilled to announce that Love’n’Joy's unforgettable performance from last summer at the Europavox Festival in Clermont-Ferrand, France, is now live on YouTube! A huge shoutout to Europavox Festival, Europavox Media, and Biscuit Productions for making it all happen! Watch it here: Love’n’Joy Live at Europavox 2023.

  • Delve into the Ukrainian underground scene of the 1990s! New Voices Ukraine: Memory Leaks III guided by Oleksii Dehtiar aka Maket, the frontman of the cult band Ivanov Down takes you on a journey through the evolution of Ukrainian music from rock to electronic. Oleksii will break down the various incarnations of Ivanov Down, reminisce about the early Ukrainian raves, and share his perspective on modern music-making technologies. This episode is a must-listen for music enthusiasts who want to explore the rich underground scene of Ukraine during a transformative decade.  

Гільдеґарда/Hildegard will premiere on October 3rd as part of Unsound Festival's Morning Glory series. The performance features a unique reinterpretation of Hildegard of Bingen’s music using Ukrainian folk singing and modular synthesis techniques. Together with Yasia Saienko, Heinali is reinterpreting the music of Hildegard of Bingen, employing the sound production principles of authentic Ukrainian folk singing and modular synthesis techniques based on the polyphony and monophony of the High Middle Ages.

"We bring this quality of paradoxical viscerality to the fore with the help of Yasia's authentic Ukrainian folk singing that, in turn, reveals in Hildegard the quality of a mirror, simultaneously distant in historical time and radically near in the current time, which reflects and processes the traumatic wartime experiences, opening up a different account of spirituality, proportionate to our times, not based on the detached, angelic, paradisiacal, but on the local, rooted in our bodies and the land, capable of pain, but also having the transcending qualities to surpass it." – Heinali wrote.

On August 24, Ukrainian cultural activist Daria Kolomiec created a playlist featuring 33 songs by Ukrainian musicians who have joined the military since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. The playlist includes artists serving in Ukraine's Armed Forces and those killed during the war. The diverse tracks range from Ukrainian metal, rock, punk, and drum and bass to funk, folk, and pop, showcasing that courage and love for one’s country are not defined by genres or styles.

Here are a few highlights from the playlist:

  • Our Atlantic – "Marni Mrii" (Pointless Dreams): The band's drummer Oleksiy joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces immediately after the invasion and later released an album based on his war diary.

  • Uvaha (Attention) – "Sumyattia" (Confusion/Uncertainty): The guitarist, Vadym, is currently involved in combat missions.

  • Yarmak – "Vavylon" (Babylon): This song serves as an unofficial anthem for Ukraine’s defenders, resonating deeply with tragic events, including the farewell of a beloved combat medic, Iryna Tsybukh.

  • Sasha Boole – "Trymaiemo Posadky" (We Are Holding the Land): Sasha Boole wrote this song after joining the Armed Forces, reflecting the experiences on the front lines.

  • DrumMishanya – "Pamiatka" (Memory): Mykhailo Biketov, a volunteer and electronic music artist, recorded this album between combat missions before he was killed in action in March 2024. Read the full article: Kyiv Independent. 

As part of their tour in Ukraine, on August 29, the Japanese psychedelic rock duo heavenphetamine performed in Kyiv with their debut album The Sun On A Winter Day. The band is a frequent visitor to Ukraine and has been supporting its people throughout the war. Their new and first album, The Sun On A Winter Day, was created and recorded right here in the Kyiv studio from December 2021 to January 2022. Two Ukrainian musicians, flutist Kira Kremova and bassist Yevhen Korol, were also involved in its creation. Watch “Sonzai” Live in Odesa:Link

Meanwhile, don’t miss out on the upcoming international concerts featuring some of our beloved Ukrainian artists! Celebrate the Ukrainian spirit and support our artists as they perform internationally this September: