A new compilation from Light In The Attic is set to document the Ukrainian music scene of the late 20th century. collecting works recorded prior to, and immediately following, the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Spanning 17 tracks, Even The Forest Hums: Ukrainian Sound Archives 1971-1996 brings together what Light In The Attic described as “subtly dissenting Soviet-era singles” as well as “DIY recordings from Kyiv’s vibrant underground scene” among other material.
“This record is a labour of love and a long time coming,” says Light In The Attic’s Matt Sullivan in a statement. Work on the project has been ongoing for the last five years with producer David Mas and Mark “Frosty” McNeill, as well as Ukrainian label Shukai Records, invited to help compile and curate the compilation. It was originally due to feature music from both Ukrainian and Russian artists before the latter’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking about the change in the project’s focus, Sullivan said: “We found ourselves in the midst of a larger political issue; what began as a broader overview of a sonically underrepresented region suddenly became quite the controversial project, so we decided to pivot and focus only on Ukrainian music. There were times when it felt impossible to bring this project to fruition, so to be sharing it with the world today is truly humbling and long overdue.”
The compilation will be released across digital, CD and vinyl formats. The physical editions of the release include extensive liner notes and a track-by-track guide to the project written by Kyiv-based filmmaker, DJ and writer Vitalli “Bard” Bardetskyi. A portion of the proceeds from the release will be donated to Livyj Bereh, a Kyiv-based volunteer group working to rebuild in the regions affected by the ongoing war.
To mark the announcement of Even The Forest Hums, Light In The Attic have shared two cuts from the compilation: Bunny’s ‘Kobza’, and Kyrylo Stetsenko & Tetiana Kocherhina’s ‘Play, The Violin, Play’. The former dates back to 1971 and blends elements of traditional Ukrainian music with prog-rock, while the latter is from 1990 and sees the pair rework a folk song into a slow disco number. You can listen to both tracks below.
Find full details on the compilation, as well as the tracklist, here.
Light In The Attic will release Even The Forest Hums: Ukrainian Sound Archives 1971-1996 on October 18, 2024.
