система | system presents release: "Immigration Sounds Like..." EP by Ukrainian/Odesa-born and France/Ukraine-based artist Ivan Samokrutkin.

Ivan Samokrutkin’s "Immigration Sounds Like..." is an intense sonic exploration of forced displacement/forced immigration brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, capturing the emotional, psychological, and existential experiences of those uprooted by war and violence. In this release, Ivan reflects on one of the most significant episodes of his life, evoking the deep feelings of loss and dislocation that accompany forced migration. The album immerses the listener in the surreal, often nightmarish reality of being severed from one's homeland, language, and identity, using abstract soundscapes and fragmented melodies to convey these struggles.

This album is composed of sketches recorded in varied environments under uncertain conditions, enhancing its raw, authentic quality. Through personally recorded field sounds gathered across various European locations, Samokrutkin captures the transient, unstable nature of the immigrant's journey. Sounds from train stations, airports, and foreign cities symbolize the continuous adaptation and survival in a disorienting world. Each sound tells a story of movement and resilience, bringing to life the experience of navigating unfamiliar spaces where every noise, language, and rhythm feels alien.

The sounds reflect not only physical displacement but also the internal fragmentation of identity. Samokrutkin explores the gap between past and present, where the immigrant oscillates between longing for what was left behind and the challenges of integrating into an unfamiliar culture. The album also mirrors the surreal experience of life in a foreign “language matrix,” where partial comprehension symbolizes the immigrant's existential struggle: Who am I now in this new and often hostile world? ~ This question echoes throughout, resonating for all who face displacement and identity fragmentation.

Through dissonant melodies, layered field recordings, and polyrhythmic structures, Samokrutkin conveys the fractured nature of the immigrant's life, caught between memory and reality. Improvised sounds and environmental recordings highlight the unpredictable nature of forced migration, from urban chaos to isolated solitude, immersing the listener in displacement's emotional highs and lows. This sound design reflects the immigrant's existence as a fragile and fragmented experience, striving to balance memory and survival in a continuously shifting environment.

"Immigration Sounds Like..." transcends audio; it is a profound reflection on survival and adaptation in an existential crisis. Through its spontaneous recordings, emotional depth, and philosophical exploration, Samokrutkin’s release is both an intimate personal account and a universally resonant study of forced displacement caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. By capturing both the external sounds of foreign places and the internal turmoil of the immigrant’s mind, he invites listeners into a world where everything is uncertain. Through sound, a fragile thread connects past, present, and an ever-uncertain future."

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credits:
~ Artist: Ivan Samokrutkin
~ Release Title: "Immigration Sounds Like..."
~ All tracks are produced and recorded by Ivan Samokrutkin.
~ Mastering by Clasps.
~ Artwork made by systemnapotvora/Ivan Samokrutkin

Immigration Sounds Like

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International digital Music Label and Live Cast serie, Art and music events organizer/in situ projects conceptor working on the relationship between architecture and live music. Odesa-UA based project, active worldwide. We work against the GATEKEEPERS in the music scene and industry and give space to newcomers, unheard and forward thinking music.