Summer in the Sound System
Music is a faithful companion to human life. And in summer, this role is especially delightful: it’s a time for picnics, travels, open-air parties, and outdoor activities. Our playlist of contemporary or even ultra-contemporary Ukrainian music will add intriguing and unexpected meanings to these moments. It will certainly add new impressions to your list of musical preferences.
The Ukrainian music scene has a remarkable trait – it usually responds proactively to tough times, creating new powerful projects, seeking new forms and ways to demonstrate its resilience, innovation, and talent. These past three years have been no exception. This is partly due to the support of colleagues from around the world who help release new Ukrainian music, draw attention to it from their audiences, and organise performances and promotions.
Marichka - Sonechko
A debut in the studio by Lviv producer and DJ Marichka, a bright story to start the day, making it sunny in any weather. Marichka Zakaliuzhna successfully tries her hand in the studio, having experience on stage behind DJ decks. The theme of nature in the video correlates with her most influential project – in the winter of 2023, she organised charity streams in the greenhouse of the Gryshko Botanical Garden in Kyiv. Thanks to the project, together with the Peli Can Live foundation and the Kyiv BPM music community, funds were raised for heating the room with exotic plants. "Sonechko is a modern interpretation of a traditional Ukrainian spring song and a wild combination of African percussion, house rhythms, and psychedelic imitation of wild nature creatures sounds," says the author, who blends warm grooves from any cultures seeking warmth and light.
Fahot - Honor
For several years, the frontman of the group TNMK, which has upheld its position in Ukrainian hip-hop for more than two decades, Oleh “Fahot” Mykhailyuta, has been experimenting in the studio. There have been various styles, including American-oriented funk, jazz experiments, and perhaps even neoclassicism. But in reality, his conservatory skills with the bassoon have come in handy for a successful dance track built on folk music. It’s perfect for jumping over bonfires on Ivan Kupala Night and will sound great in more urban dance floor settings as well.
Alina Pash - Wonder
A world traveler and tireless inventor of sounds and collaborations, Alina Pash seems to try to prove by her own example that for a musical soul, there are no boundaries. You can choose any direction and feel comfortable throughout your creative journey to the next peak of artistic achievement. And it seems she traverses this path so easily and effortlessly. Perhaps so – and thus we have a true wonder.
Moojev, Yova Yager, and Vita Kostyna - Rano
An experienced studio producer, an ambitious DJ, and a folk singer walk into a bar… or rather, they greet the dawn at a rave! In reality, they all met through social media, and their online friendship is truly being tested live by the audience. Because "Rano" first hit the dance floor in Britain, now it's preparing for the dance floor in Kyiv, and in the meantime, during breaks and rehearsals, it’s up for your review. Folk motifs in a contemporary vision of dance culture are no longer a trend or phenomenon, but a given that works. Recalling what our parents and grandparents were passionate about and embodying something that resonates with oneself – isn't that the very idea of life?
Stipa - Microdonuts
Yacht-disco, seemingly created by artificial intelligence but actually crafted by the talented Dari Maksymova, is a successful attempt to talk about important things lightly. The musical language chosen by Stipa consists of mood-enhancing genres: funk, disco, and oriental house. The visualisations complement this approach with pleasant-to-look-at imagery.
Kadiristy - Sensory Spaces (Lauer Remix)
It appears that one day, Serhiy decided to create in Ukraine a label that didn't exist. This was also because he loved genres built on Italo-disco, which have been trending in Central Europe for the past 5-7 years. The mission of Regulardisco is to push dark disco, EBM, and nu beat to the East. Serhiy is doing a great job with this, and the latest addition to the catalogue is his studio work, presented to you in an international version with added mastery from the renowned German producer Philip Lauer.
Yuvi - Arigatou Ne
An impressive compilation of famous, not-so-famous, and even secret names united in a sound gallery. "Portraits" is the idea brought to life by Telesma Records founder, Kyiv electronic producer Pymin. The name Telesma has roots in alchemical beliefs, where it referred to the philosopher’s stone or the "core of knowledge". Thus, the project's potential is declared powerfully, and as an example, let's take a cosmopolitan, rhythmically complex composition with a Japanese undertone.
Emil Asadow
Every Ukrainian misses Crimea and dreams of someday returning to the shores of their beloved peninsula. Emil Asadow, who was forced to move to Odesa due to the Russian occupation, artistically emphasizes his Crimean Tatar heritage. However, he does so without excessive drama, conveying a contemplative mood through an ambient piece about the longed-for element.
Soundots – I'm Sorry (feat. Grisly Faye)
A young trio of experienced musicians from Dnipro invites you on a journey through the metro, which, as it turned out, was scarcely used before the full-scale invasion. However, with the arrival of danger, the underground station near the railway station found a new purpose and became a concert venue. This video was shot during the preparation for one such concert. On 31 May, Soundots release their debut album "Dark Circuit", with the first track featuring guest vocals by Grisly Faye.
Independent musicians always need special attention, as it is the primary meaning of their activity. For listeners, it is an opportunity to hear fresh ideas as soon as possible, to be inspired, to enrich their playlists, and to expand the boundaries of musical perception.