Even the Forest Hums: Ukrainian Sonic Archives 1971-1996 | A Review

It is November 2024, and two years on since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine’s counteroffensive has stalled. Russia has taken 18% of the country, 3.7 million people are internally displaced, and 6.5 million have fled the country.

Meanwhile, in steadfast concert halls, to underground bunkers and metro stations, Ukrainian musicians are using their craft to create space to heal, to harden souls, and to reflect on a nation’s rich and beautiful identity. Bands such as ONUKA are amongst a new generation of artists renewing interest in authentic Ukrainian folk as a reminder of the perseverance and strength of Ukrainian identity.

In Ukraine, the twilight decades of the USSR provided similar conditions for cultural and artistic interrogation and exploration. Light in the Attic Records’ new 18-song compilation Even the Forest Hums: Ukrainian Sonic Archives 1971-96 lovingly collates some of those diverse experiences.

The record begins in the early 70s, with the Ukrainian folk infused jazz-rock of Kobza, twenty years on from the death of Stalin, when international influences began to seep into the musical developments of the time, pricking the ears of musically susceptible teenagers and artists. Later, liberalisations in the mid-80s allowed for Kyiv to become a bustling hub of cultural exchange.

I purchased the CD edition of this album, housed within a detailed 64-page book, bordered with vyshyvanka patterning. The physical media greatly enhanced the listening experience - the book was filled with contextual notes written by writer and DJ Vitalii Bardetskyi, along with images of Ukrainian city districts and artists in pensive thought. The cover artworks are by Maria Prymachenko, a leading “naïve” artist whose works embody this vibrant blend of traditional and modern expression. 

Despite being archival, the whole album feels alive. It represents art taking shape underground, constantly evolving and reinventing itself. From the avant-garde electronics of Valentina Goncharova, to the rock, jazz and folk of Vodohrai and Uksusnik, the album showcases just the breadth of exploration of these artists.

A personal highlight was Sugar White Death’s ‘The Great Hen-Yuan River’. In this gothic masterpiece, operatic vocals, slow guitars, synthetic beats and anxiety come together to create a dreamlike, floating state. Bardetskyi’s notes their folkloric influence: ”the songs of this band are of “mermaids and forest kings, inhabitants of prehistoric Ukrainian forests and rivers – but now, having migrated to the city”.

Another standout track was Yarn’s ‘Viella’. Slow, echoing guitars march along, met with the striking of modified folk cymbals like the tolling bells of a church. The influence of medieval Ukrainian music on Yarn is apparent in this haunting, longing and melancholy track.

Yet, it's not all doom and gloom here. Bursts of unbridled joy radiate through the violin strings on Kyrylo Stetsenko's 'Play, the violin, Play'. Demonstrating the permeating power of tradition, this folk tune is here transformed, into a slow disco groover. The violins play in dialogue with the voice of Tetiana Kocherhina, whose sultry voice resonates with Ukrainian grace. It's representative of the dialogue taking place in Ukrainian music at the time.

From avant-garde ambient experiments, to heartfelt, unpretentious, creative outbursts of teenagers on the streets of Kyiv trying to figure out what “Rock n’ Roll” is, Even the Forest Hums is a wonderful sonic adventure. It is a testament to the power of music as an anchor and a source of strength, and a shining example of the perseverance of Ukrainian cultural identity, then, and for many years to come.