Vasyl Zhdankin. B’jut' porohy. (Beating Rapids)

It has finally happened – the first album of Vasyl Zhdankin is repeatedly released, and this is great. Because both Vasyl and this work by him, "Beating Thresholds", are legends of the newest independent Ukrainian scene. Fortunately – legends alive. The scene has already had time to become more balanced – but Zhdankin still remains there as a separate block, honest and conscientious soul. And his voice today, as well as ten, or seventeen years ago – does not fault, touches the deepest strings, does not let you turn away and fall asleep. His voice is as if a sword of the Light Bearer, as free space, as if seeing the whole depth of the northern wind for the first time... Force and color of its flame cannot be compared to anything – you virtually no longer meet these people today. However, they never strive for glory, they simply do what they should do. Maybe, there are a few of them per each country, several hundreds for the whole planet... But it is on such people that the multitude of deep connections rely, which we often even do not realize. They, possibly, also realize not everyone and not everything – but they stand close to the central root, beyond time. And that is why history passes, but the spirit – does not pass, and there lives in what they do – the truth. That is why in songs by Vasyl Zhdankin, there is no falsehood either. But there are – sources. There is – dignity. There is – beauty.

Anton Jozhik Leyba (Hedgehog)