Transcending dimensions

White Picket Fence

kiCK iiiii

Fireprayer

Tuhka, like its titular cinder or ash symbolises new beginnings, fertile ground and creativity after a long lapse. In the same vein, the tracks on this edition were created after a long fallow period. 

Tuhka was created out of archival snippets and new vocal loops created on the sunny top floor of Merlijnstraat in early 2022. Late lockdown there was spent writing on the balcony and walking or playing in nearby parks. This creative but relaxed time is embodied in the feeling on ’Tuhka,’ a release wrapping itself around the core of two long-form tracks:

Kärpässieni is a soft, pensive number, with an archival cheap synth track and a chopped-up mystery field recording mingling with a simple subdued vocal loop. There is a titular reference to amanita mushrooms, a fungi encompassing the mystery and the melancholy bitterness present in the track. The feeling is akin to a frosty morning spent on a walk to the Mercatorplein library and feeling your toes start numbing.

Varisevalehti means ’shudderingleaf’ and it consists of an airy, optimistic voice loop that progresses and winds around the length of the track. Alongside it, at times you can hear tape-manipulated samples from a ’learn Italian’ record I used to own. The feeling is more of a wander around Westerpark when the blossoms have started come loose and fly around in the air, forming soft pink deposits in the corners of streets. 

Thanks to Haron Aumaj for enduring support and for the copious quantities of Banjaan borani.

Tuhka

Cucina Povera - Kärpässieni (excerpt)

Fallin

Question

At First

Slowly Forgetting, Barely Remembering

Guided By Horses

Lay With The Stones

Svitlana Nianio — Transilvania Smile, 1994

Release title: Transilvania Smile, 1994
Release subtitle: Original Soundtrack For The Dance-Theatre Performance
Release artist: Svitlana Nianio
Release date: 2023-08-04
Label: Shukai
Catalog: Shukai 8
Formats: 12” LP / Digital
File under: Folk, Classical

Linear notes:
Svitlana Okhrimenko (artist name: Svitlana Nianio) is a Ukrainian artist, musician, and signer. She is one of the most prominent representatives of the independent music scene of Kyiv in the late 1980s — early 90s. She has repeatedly recorded and performed in collaboration with other musicians and bands, such as Oleksandr Yurchenko, Sugar White Death (Cukor Bila Smert’), Ivanov Down, GeeNerve & Taran, and Blemish. Svitlana still performs and publishes new recordings today.
“Transilvania Smile” is one of the first solo works recorded in 1994. During this time, Svitlana repeatedly visited Germany, where she had the experience of playing in parks and on the streets, gathering contacts of the local art scene. Her cooperation with the international choreographic group Pentamonia, based in Cologne and consisting of several girls who performed in theaters, took part in various performances, and were engaged in music. They met in the 1990s during joint performances with "Sugar-White Death." After that, they corresponded, and the idea of doing something together arose. Svitlana attended several of their performances, which inspired her to write music for a new project, and the band members helped to realize their creative ideas. Later, they started rehearsing together.
The name “Transilvania Smile” was invented by the project participants, and it symbolized the mold on the mirror and the reflection of a smiling vampire. However, shortly before the premiere, they changed it to “Firefox”, as the participants actively used flashlights and the play of light and shadows in the scenography.
The premiere occurred in the local Urania theater, previously a gallery. Isabel Bartensein directed the choreography, and Svitlana played, sang, and improvised. She said it was an excellent experience for her and the band. Besides Cologne, they also performed in Aachen.
Later, Michael Springer offered Svitlana to record this material in his "Phanton" studio. They had already worked together and recorded music for their project (Svitlana Okhrimenko / Phanton). Michael was also interested in the Ukrainian independent scene and participated in the creation of several compilations that featured bands from Kyiv and Kharkiv. Svetlana played the piano and harmonium in the studio and also sang. After the recording, the material was never released in its entirety. Two compositions appeared on the cassette compilation “Shovaisia” (Hide) in 1995, some episodes were re-recorded for the “Kytytsi” album in 1999, but for a long time, the full version of this recording remained practically unknown to listeners and was kept in Svitlana's and Michael’s archives.
This album is one of the most personal and insightful works of Svitlana Nianio from the 90s, which you can now get to know in its original form and sound.
Tracklist:
Side A (45RPM)
Episode III
Side B (33RPM)
Episode I
Episode II
Episode III
Episode IV
Episode V
Episode VI
Episode VII


Credits:
Original Soundtrack for the Dance-Theatre Performance “Transilvania Smile” by Svitlana Nianio
Recorded in phantonstudio, Cologne, 1994—1995
Mastered by Michael Springer (phantonstudio)
Shukai team: Dmytro Nikolaienko, Dmytro Prutkin and Sasha Tsapenko
Liner notes by Vlad Yakovlev
Graphic design by (DN)
Svitlana’s stage photo by Christiane Bowinkelmann
Pentamonia Dance Group photos by Olav Faustmann
Special thanks to Michael Springer (phantonstudio) and Guido Erfen

Shukai 8
www.shukai.org
© ℗ Shukai / Svitlana Nianio
2023

Transilvania Smile

Episode III

Svitlana Nianio - Episode III (Transilvania Smile, 1994)

Souvenir

Liten Karin

The Blue Hour

Bandcamp

Adela Mede - Holnap

My Noise Is Nothing

Let the Colours Flood In

from 'The Blue Hour', Somewhere Press, 2023

V/A compilation featuring Dania, Mondlane, Velvachell, santebela, Angelina Nonaj, Anit Levan, Astrid Øster Mortensen, Adela Mede, Chantal Michelle, Slowfoam and Man Rei

Out on cassette and digital formats with an accompanying publication.
Distribution by Boomkat

@somewherepress

Released by:
Somewhere Press
Release date:
19 September 2023

Intimation

Waillee Waillee

Along the River

Desertshore

Janitor Of Lunacy

Parallelograms

Chimacum Rain

Hearing Music

Going to Sleep

Aurora

Michael Hasted talking about the piece Jesus Blood Never Failed me yet which was performed at the 2018 Crossing Border Festival in The Hague in The Netherlands.

Gavin Bryars JESUS BLOOD NEVER FAILED ME YET

N´Gou Bagayoko - Kulu

This is an attempt to make a virtual choir sing long, slowly developing words. Not the easiest task.

DISCLAIMER: This track is an experiment in virtualization of an acoustic piece via samples. It is only intended for didactical purposes, and should fall in the fair use doctrine.

John Tavener - Funeral Canticle, Kliros (virtualized)

Transcending dimensions

Less Air