Hurt Mandrivnyh Djakiv "Vertep". Pidpillja. (Underground)

It is quite understandable even from the title that this is an experiment. As for me, it is an interesting experiment. So, what can you hear at this disc? It is possible to say that you can hear folk songs at it. To be exact – ceremonial songs, which present the cicle of the whole year, starting from Conjuration of spring and ending with Epiphany. Then, what does the experiment conclude in? First, in the selection of musical instruments: guitars, percussion instruments, bayan, bass, percussion, reed-pipes, doshchevyk, tably, violins, saxophones, bugle, xylophone, bamboo flute, duduk, bongos – the more I enumerate, the more interesting it is, isn’t it? As to folk music, this choice is not classical at all. The voices, which are presented in a great number here, are not usual either, especially as regards such material. Besides, the arrangement is for sure quite unexpected, too. Still, there is something to compare with – the bonus contains ten tracks with authentic singing. One might say, “to your and to ours”. As for me, I like it very much that the Ukrainian folklore has at last become a real field not only for investigations, but also for experiments.

Anton Jozhik Leyba (Hedgehog)