Light in the Attic Records proudly presents Even the Forest Hums: Ukrainian Sonic Archives 1971-1996—the first comprehensive collection of Ukrainian music recorded prior to, and immediately following, the USSR’s collapse. From subtly dissenting Soviet-era singles to DIY recordings from Kyiv’s vibrant underground scene, the compilation chronicles the development of Ukraine’s rich musical landscape through rare folk, rock, jazz, and electronic recordings.
“This record is a labor of love and a long time coming,” says label owner Matt Sullivan. Over the course of the last five years, Sullivan, alongside producers David Mas ("DBGO”), Mark “Frosty” McNeill, and Ukrainian label Shukai Records worked tirelessly to compile a carefully curated, chronological playlist. But behind the scenes, ongoing war & politics would shape the evolution of the tracklist, which originally featured both Ukrainian and Russian artists. “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,” Sullivan continues, “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.”
Guiding listeners through the physical editions of the album are insightful liner notes and track-by-track details by Vitalii “Bard” Bardetskyi—a Kyiv-based filmmaker, DJ, and writer. The 2xLP is housed in a beautiful gatefold package showcasing Ukrainian artist Maria Prymachenko’s beloved and iconic folk paintings. The vinyl edition features a 20-page booklet with artist photos & liner notes in both English and Ukrainian, pressed on Clear Blue Sky & Sunflower Yellow wax; the CD edition features bonus content housed in a deluxe, 64-page hardbound book.
Light in the Attic will donate a portion of proceeds directly to Livyj Bereh, a Kyiv-based volunteer group working to rebuild in the regions affected by ongoing war in Ukraine.
TRACKLIST:
1. Kobza - Bunny
2. Shapoval Sextet - Oh, Get Ready, Cossack, There Will Be a March
3. Vodohrai - Remembrance
4. Kyrylo Stetsenko (feat. Tetiana Kocherhina) - Play, the Violin, Play
5. Vadym Khrapachov - Dance (Remastered 2024)
6. Krok - Breath of Night Kyiv
7. Kyrylo Stetsenko (feat. Natalia Gura) - Oh, how, how?
8. Valentina Goncharova - Silence
9. Radiodelo - 90
10. Cukor Bila Smert' - The Great Hen-Yuan' River (Remastered 2024)
11. Er. Jazz - Tea Ceremony
12. Uksusnik - North Wind
13. Iury Lech - Barreras (Remastered 2024)
14. Yarn - Viella
15. The Hostilnia - Sick Song
16. Svitlana Nianio - Episode III (Remastered 2024)
17. Ingblazh, Victor Pushkar, Oleksander Yurchenko - Transference
18. Ihor Tsymbrovsky - Beatrice
