As I strolled through the rain-drenched streets of Soroca, Moldova, my gaze lingered across the Dnister River, where the shores of Ukraine beckoned. It was a fleeting moment, but one that left an indelible impression. I watched the small ferry boats shuttling between the two countries, a tangible reminder of the divide that separated them. Yet, despite the allure, I was informed that crossing the river required navigating official checkpoints – an encounter that would have to wait.

Fast forward to 2017, during a journey through Poland, I found myself within reach of the Ukrainian border once more. Without hesitation, I seized the opportunity to explore Lviv – a city pulsating with vitality and creative energy. Yet, amidst the vibrant facade, I couldn’t ignore the haunting presence of men who traversed the streets with an air of detachment. Their silent anguish spoke volumes, a testament to the ongoing conflict that ravaged Eastern Ukraine in the shadow of the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Collaborating with Ukrainian Poets

When Dmitry Postovalov extended an invitation for mockART to participate in the Blue and Yellow Through Black and Gray project, Christoph and I embraced the opportunity wholeheartedly. Conceived as a collaboration between Ukrainian poets and international musicians, the project sought to intertwine the realms of poetry and music, crafting a narrative that reflected upon the stark realities of war in Ukraine. Penned during the initial throes of conflict, the poems of the twelve contributing authors offer glimpses into a world besieged by turmoil. While not explicitly addressing the war, its spectre looms large, infusing each verse with a sense of poignancy and resilience.

Joining forces with fifteen musicians from across the globe, we embarked on a creative odyssey — one that gave rise to a musical landscape both introspective and discordant. In the lyrical tapestry woven by Maksym Churkov, we found kindred spirits — travellers navigating the vast expanse of poetic imagination. His poem Tænæt served as our guiding light, inspiring us to explore new sonic horizons and reimagine reality through sound.

In tandem with crafting the music, I undertook the task of creating lyric videos—a visual companion to the auditory journey. Infusing static photographs with dynamic animations, I endeavoured to breathe life into the imagery, ensuring that the text transcended its role as mere subtitles.

A Beacon of Hope

As the project took shape, it became evident that our collective efforts were more than just a creative endeavour. They were a testament to the resilience of the human spirit—a beacon of hope amidst the darkness of conflict. Published by Syrphe and presented by AEMC, the Blue and Yellow Through Black and Gray project stands as a testament to the transformative power of art. It serves as a reminder that, in times of uncertainty, we have the capacity to unite, transcending language and borders to weave a tapestry of hope.

As you embark on this journey through the realms of poetry and music, know that your support carries profound significance. With every purchase of the album, you are contributing to the healing and restoration of lives affected by conflict. Together, let us weave a tapestry of hope, painting the world with hues of blue and yellow amidst the black and gray.

Track List:

1. Sterion Music – Peredmova 02:09
2. Medicine Lake – The Braille Stars (feat. Olena Halunets) 04:25
3. Toto Tobass – Alone with the Demon (feat. Anastasiiith) 04:12
4. Jennifer Howd – The Bullet (feat. Ada Yelagina) 01:38
5. Fedir Tkachov – Our House (feat. Stepan Penkaliuk) 02:53
6. James Schlesselman – Rapids of Hunger (feat. Snig na Golovu) 04:49
7. Whispered – Evening Glow Milk (feat. Oleh Ladyzhensky) 03:31
8. Paul Soto – Perepochynok (All Remain Silent) 03:21
9. mockART – Tænæt (feat. Maksym Churkov) 04:58
10. Givun – We Were Men in Black (feat. Vlad Kovbasiuk) 02:43
11. Bayun the Cat – The Temple (feat. Mira Malska) 06:13
12. Mark Daelmans-Sikkel & Paulien Dirkzwager – This Passionate Pleasure (feat. Tetiana Osipenko) 05:07
13. Alex Richardson – Renaissance (feat. Holosy) 05:20
14. Guy Richardson – Dreaming of You Again (feat. Maria Chekariova) 05:43
15. Phil Durrant – Pislyamova 04:10

The poems were written between February 2022, and February 2023.
The music was composed and recorded between February and July 2023.

All profits from album sales will be donated to the Military Medical Clinical Center of the Northern Region, located in Kharkiv, Ukraine. 

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Having just written about my ten favourite albums of 2016 – here are two more I discovered before the old year ran out as a bonus:

The first one is the jubilee edition of one of my favourite albums: “Omega” by Morente & Lagartija Nick. About 20 years ago Flamenco singer Enrique Morente met alternative rock band Lagartija Nick and other musicians to record an album. “Omega” was unlike any other venture into flamenco-rock. The idea was to set some poems by Federico Garcia Lorca to music, choosing mainly his later poems written in New York where the writer experienced isolation and alienation that found their way into his poetry of that time, as well as the criticism of the capitalist and materialistic society he witnessed in a world suffering from the Wall Street Crash and the financial crisis.

What makes “Omega” such a fascinating album is how the musicians manage to capture these dark atmospheres with their sad flamenco tunes that, at times, they simply basted away with walls of electric guitars, before they slowly pave their way back through all the heavy riffs. This is most prominent in “Vuelta De Paseo” where with the line “¡Asesinado por el cielo!” (“Assassinated by the sky!”) the guitars almost strike you down like thunder.

The poems don’t really have a refrain and are not really accessible at first. To compensate for that, a few cover versions of Leonard Cohen songs are well placed throughout the album and help you to tune in much faster. When the album starts with its 10 minute title track, you get “Pequeño Vals Vienés” (“Take This Walz”) straight afterwards, giving you something like and anchor to hold on to in a sea of flamenco and electric guitars, and bringing Garcia Lorca and Cohen together in a natural way.

The jubilee version finishes the album with a bonus track that was recorded with Sonic Youth. A second CD contains demos, out-takes and alternative versions, including two more Cohen covers and another unreleased track, completing the picture. There also is a documentary on DVD and an extensive booklet with photos, notes and interviews.

Named after a fictional terrorist group in Luis Buñuel’s film “That Obscure Object of Desire”, the Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus is a somewhat obscure band. Having only released three albums and an EP in almost thirty years, their sound mixes folk, Christian chants and mysticism with electronic sounds. “Beauty Will Save The World” was already released in 2015, about two decades after their second album “Mirror”, but I only noticed it in late December. Similar to their previous work, they continue to create beautiful music that takes from many genres and cultural references, but their new opus revolves around a meditative undercurrent that is hardly ever broken. Gone is the distortion and the noise present in some of their previous work and replaced by pianos, strings and ethnic percussions that carefully drive the album further and building a piece of music that seems to revolve entirely around different concepts of beauty.

The post Bonus Tracks appeared first on rabirius.