| Zavoloka "Viter" | ||||
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kvitnu 3
Cyclic Defrost Viter, signifying wind, is the first of four promised works by Ukraine electronic musician Zavoloka canvassing the four elements. Marked by contrasting textures and the stridency of its pacing, the short yet jam-packed pieces do indeed manage to connect directly with images of elemental surge and flow. The air vibrations of cello and violin drive the compositions, foraging around lopsided rhythms and muggy arcs of noise, which grow and shed layers and textures. Zavoloka really only seems to know one speed on this recording - fast. As one motif begins to spill over, one can sense the next wave welling up to await expression. The restlessness and playfulness of this approach shines through on the fourth track, for instance, where simple patterns are built from filigrees of snapping clicks, patterns which seem to be reaching fervently for the deliciously light and airy violin lines that float above. An important issue still remains: for all its attractive features, greater consideration for the placement of sounds might have been shown. Despite the fact that the album races along for its nineteen minutes, it doesn’t take on enough weight to leave a lasting impression. As one can easily imagine the four-volume work standing as something far more impressive when viewed as a whole, waiting to release the disc alongside its other siblings might have been something to consider. (Max Schaefer) Umka It seems to be that this time Kateryna started ‘from the opposite’ in making her music; moreover, she did it twice. You may ask how can this be? The matter is that the album “Viter” (“The wind”) runs athwart her previous records. I mean that now almost all pieces are based on clear and cyclic rhythm – before, the way Kateryna’s music grew and developed resembled the growth of trees. That is the sound lines used to branch many times, they were getting thinner and didn’t recur. Though it was defined as idm, perhaps it would be more honest to call it the art of contemplation. And now it is that subtle dancing music which excites the desire not to dance but to listen carefully. Of course it doesn’t deny dancing) What is more, it’s full of interesting acoustic effects and live performance makes the musical canvas clear, fresh and very warm at the same time. And when authentic singing sounds on calm and chilly electro background it’s just a beautiful thing. Nevertheless, a violin and a double bass create such strange and amazing hints that you clearly understand: you will listen to this record again and again. And now about another aspect…In brief: Zavoloka really managed to reveal the essence of the wind, free from any limits – and this was made by means of a steady rhythm. And here are the spread hands and the free wind, blowing breaking the limits... (Anton Jozhik Lejba) Connexion Bizarre With "Viter," Ukrainian experimental electronic artist and designer Zavoloka begins a series of four concept releases dedicated to the traditional four elements of nature. Dedicated to the element of air (the title means "wind" in Ukrainian), "Viter" is the first installment of this tetralogy. Though short in duration (20 minutes), "Viter" is nevertheless a true breath of fresh air. In a musical field that may well be on its way to becoming full of insipid and soulless robotic artsy compositions, it is an auspicious sign to find talented artists that can skillfully combine electronic and analog instrumentation as well as seamlessly merge modern and traditional music elements. At all this, Zavoloka and her collaborators - Olga Potramanska on violin, Anton Zhukov on contrabass and vocalist Dania Chekun - excel in a release in where crisp and delicate IDM/glitch compositions compliment diaphanous string arrangements to create what is a thoroughly uplifting and soulful body of work. This is further enhanced by the addition of traditional Ukrainian singing (for example, "III. Inhale"). Last but not least, though actually the first attention-grabbing detail, is the design work - and expense - that went into making the packaging of this release, seemingly allusive to the sky at dusk. While packaging is obviously not replacement for the contents of a release, it can well be a very welcome compliment, and that is indeed the case with "Viter." Despite this, on occasion, I also find it vaguely reminiscent of medical propaganda packages. While "Viter" can easily stand on its own as a creative and talented piece of work with excellent production and design work, it is as part of a collective body of work (still under development) that it must be appreciated. If "Viter" serves as indicator, Zavoloka's 'four elements' series is definitely something to look forward to. (Miguel de Sousa) Neural The interweaving of concepts related to the four natural elements (air, water, earth, fire) has already generated contemporary art forms (the "arte povera" in Rome during the sixties, for example, or the consequent first experiments with the musique concrète or proto-ambient musicians like Alvin Curran). Seminal forms, already hybridized with many different media, now scattered in the modern electronic culture. It's a come back to certain topics, emotional and perhaps not so innocent. In this "Viter" ("wind" in Ukrainian) this come back is articulated as an homage to the most impalpable and ethereal element, volatile by its very nature, yet planning future albums dedicated to the remaining above mentioned elements. Perfectly in synch with such poetics Kateryna Zavoloka skillfully sorts out melodious chords and structures, played with violins and contrabass, methodically allocating accurate downtempo rhythmics and precise resonating inserts. (Aurelio Cianciotta) Vital This new album is one of four, dedicated to the four elements. 'Viter' means wind and it's the air vibrations of violin and cello that is at the hearth of this CD. She has those played by Olga Potramanska and Anton Zhukov, while Zavoloka herself edits the music on her computer, by adding rhythms and electronic sounds. Seven short tracks, in total just under twenty minutes. It's strange, strange music. It's light of nature, swirling and moving. The lack of any knowledge on my side of any folk music makes this hard to place down. The rhythms are borrowed from the world of clicks and cuts, but the whole string part could be traditional, folkloristic music from the Ukraine. Or perhaps not. It sounds like recorded in a cathedral. If you read this, it may seem an uneasy marriage, these two totally alienated approaches, but rest assured: they make a perfect combination. To incorporate what is called - horribly - ethnic/traditional/third world music with electronics is a new path of which Zavoloka is the among the first to do so, and it makes way for perhaps an interesting new direction in music. Hurrah for that. 'Viter' is a most promising start. (FdW) Touching Extremes Hip magazines are pumping up this girl’s sonic artefacts quite a bit these days thus I was pleased to receive one of her records, even if it lasts 19 minutes only. An artist from Kyiv, Ukraine, Zavoloka uses violin, electronic processing, various instruments and digital synthesis to which fragments of pre-recorded speech or songs can be added to create a personal brand of rhythmically enhanced, repetitive pulse music. In the case of “Viter” (“wind” in Ukrainian), she reserved a dedication to the “Air element”, with a series of references to the inner self that could even sound sincere, although sentences such as “human being is integral part of the universe” and “feel the Truth inside us and everywhere” mean much less today, after the largely diffused reduction of similar values to miserable covers for money-spinning dubious activities, or to disguise people’s incapability of concretely doing anything outstanding. In strictly musical terms, this is a helping of light-spirited electronica with rather regular rhythmic foundations, the superimposed violins generating contrasting waves and semi-consonant reverberations over a tapestry of not excessively profound sequences. Nice, but in all honesty not something to which this writer will return anytime soon. (Massimo Ricci) Luna Kafé When I first read about this disc, I was a bit worried. Viter means wind in Ukrainian and the tracks are called "Inhale", "Exhale", "Inhale", "Exhale" etc.... I suspected some tranquillizing wind effects or other ambient new age meditation moods. Luckily, Viter is something else. Zavoloka is an Ukranian artist. She has composed and constructed the numbers, but do not participate on the album herself. The disc is dominated by Olga Patramanska's violin with some reverb effects, it seems, electronics and electronic rhythms. In addition a bit of double bass and vocals. The notes and beats are quite quick, like a playful summer breeze, particularly the first "Exhale" track. Other favourites are the second "Inhale" that ranges from modern electronics to traditional Ukrainian vocals, whereas the second "Exhale" wanders between a beautiful somewhat melancholic violin to electronic experiments. I'm not sure if the music is particularly suited for breathing exercise and there aren't many distinct melodies here. But the moods are refreshing and the music might even aid to ease your mind. A full-length album of this, to some extent minimalistic concept might maybe be too much. A clever move then, that the disc only lasts 20 minutes, including two very short and five tracks that clock in at +/- four minutes. For those interested in cover art, Viter is not to be ignored. This is not your ordinary square or rectangular shaped CD. There is a wave-formed top and more waves printed onto and cut into the cardboard envelope. Airwaves that is. EtherReal Après avoir sorti quelques productions chez Nexsound dont l’excellent album Plavyna, la jeune Ukrainienne se produit maintenant chez Kvitnu, autre label ukrainien dirigé par Dmytro Fedorenko (artiste plutôt noise jouant sous le nom de Kotra) pour qui elle créé de magnifiques packagings. Certains l’auront peut-être vue au festival Présences Electronique en 2007, lors duquel elle a fait une prestation proche de la catastrophe. Aléas de la performance live, c’est bel et bien en grande forme qu’on la retrouve sur ce mini album. Composé de 7 morceaux pour une vingtaine de minutes, Viter (’vent’ en ukrainien) est le premier d’une série d’album dédiés aux quatre éléments : air, eau, feu, terre. Pour l’occasion Zavoloka s’est entourée d’une violoniste et d’un violoncelliste qui apportent tout de suite un certain cachet à cet album aux influences multiples. Le son continu des cordes rend les pièces fluides et aériennes, comme flottantes au grès des vagues schématisées sur la pochette. On trouve aussi un retour aux sources, à ses origines, via l’intégration de chants traditionnels ukrainien, avec par ailleurs des sections rythmiques très electronica, tendance click’n cuts. Cette approche consistant à mêler électronique pointilliste et musique classique nous fait parfois penser au projet que mènent Alva Noto et Ryuichi Sakamoto depuis quelque temps, mais aidée par un jeu de cordes plus contemporain que classique, l’ukrainienne semble déjà être allée au delà. On ne citera pas les titres des morceaux de Viter dans la suite de cette chronique, puisque par effet de style, et pour coller à la thématique, ceux-ci s’intitulent tour à tour Inhale et Exhale, ramenant ce CD à l’état même d’élément vital. Comme Matmos, Zavoloka a profité de son passage à l’INA-GRM pour utiliser le synthétiseur Coupigny, modèle unique réalisé par Francis Coupigny dans les années 60. On le devine ici sur la première piste qui sert d’introduction, avant de retrouver les cordes qu’il nous semble avoir déjà entendu lors de son set à Présences Électronique. On retiendra ici en particulier deux titres, deux inspirations. La première au violoncelle extrêmement présent sonne grave, en particulier quand la rythmique lourde et puissante s’en mêle, limite industrielle, contrastant avec les glissandos de cordes et écrasant le chant traditionnel ukrainien. Un peu plus tard, c’est le jeu pointilliste des cordes qui séduit. Cordes pincées, brefs coups d’archet, break de mélodie électronique et enchaînement avec une superbe mélodie, mi cordes, mi électronique, aux subtiles intonations orientales. Quelque part entre classique contemporain et electronica, ce mini-album préfigure d’une superbe série sur les quatre éléments. Qui plus est l’objet est de toute beauté avec un boitier en carton aux vagues ton sur ton (mat et brillant), boitier reprenant d’ailleurs cet effet de vague. Deux courbes découpées laissent alors apparaître la pochette jaune qui abrite le CD. Un peu tard maintenant pour faire les tops de l’année 2007, mais à coup sûr ce mini-album y aurait pris une excellent place. (Fabrice Allard) Cracked Within the musical output of Ukrainian electronic musician and artist Zavoloka concpets and conceptualised works have always played an important role. Sometimes quite obviously, for instance in her collaboration with AGF (“nature never repeats the same sound twice”), or more subtle and less focused concepts, as in her solo pieces or long experimental drones with Kotra. Now, with this release she starts a series of four pieces music each connecting to one of the elements, the first one here being “wind”. This is what “viter” means in Ukrainian. Leaving aside the fact that not all cultural spheres know of the same four elements (wind, fire, earth, water), because some have more some less and leaving aside the other fact that it is hard to judge a set of four pieces of music, when only the first one has yet been releaesed, it is nevertheless safe to say that “viter” is probably the most interesting thing Zavoloka has done up to now musically. And that, of course, has me excited and anticipating the other three parts. Conceptual musicianship can turn out rather boring, usually, because – that is my opinion – computers are just too easy to use. So easy, in fact, that people with little or no talent are able to make up something decent within an hour or two, and that people with lots of talent start to be content with mediocre or slightly above average results. The latter especially because so much shit is floating around that was made up by the first kind. Sometimes it works, as lately in Greg Headly’s “there comes a violent love / pulse”. Or here on Zavoloka’s “viter”. “Viter” consists of seven parts that are alternatingly called “inhale” and “exhale”, and really her approach to the issue of the air element is rather personal than universal and less esoteric or atmospheric than you might fear from first outset. She also manages to not let the concept get the best of her, so there are no useless formalisms, like only wind instruments or whatever. No, “viter” after all offers a mixture of violin, contrabass and electronic beats and noises, structured and mixed with great dilligence, talend and an ear for intrinsic melody. Straight beats do play an important role, actually averse to the eternal ebb and flow of wind as it rises and falls. The further the approximately 20 minute set comes towards its finale the more electronic beats and percussive structures take over, until the realm comes near to a classicaly inclined breakbeat track. In the middle somewhere, there are parts of an Ukrainian traditional flowing by as if muffled by an invisible shield of air that disturbed the recording. Like wind blowing disturbs microphone recording in the field. An almost ghostly presence, reminding for instance of some of the more nightly releases on intr-version (e.g. Vitamins for you or Joshua Treble) that, depending on the intensity and frame setting of listening, either disturbs the hell out of me or fits perfectly into the atmosphere. In this respect, because I am always looking for music that startles and puzzles me, even disturbs me at times, the folklore song is the highpoint of the set, though actually it should be the overall soundscape presented. This is also the place where the drums are effected with the highest dose of echo and where the track has the most twists and turns. But there is a lot of change during the whole record. The violin sometimes sounds like a harmonica, noises and rather unlikeable frequencies are used to balance the harmonic melodies. Then the synthesized violins start a melody that sounds as if it came directly from a movie of the early fifties, or from the beginning of a Brahms conecerto, only to be left alone somewhere in the middle of its evolution and levelled with some glitchy beats, tics and tacs. Track 5 at the beginning has that typical avantgarde musicianship feeling at the beginning, until the beats set in and destroy the highbrow imagery. In one way “viter” is a pretty straight forward record, in as it could be listened to without too much exercise or attention and be a pleasurable experience. In other respects it is a short collection of tracks that are in themselves as well as externally quite complex and connected to each other. Nothing harsh or fancy, at least not to my ears, but still an exciting experience if you are relaxed enough. PS: The package design is nice and reminds me somewhat of the early CD releases on Mego, who also found their own way to cut and fold the CD package. Try downloading that. Gaz-eta Starting a new series of albums, Ukraine's hidden electronic gem, Zavoloka begins the cycle with "Viter". Translating as wind in Ukrainian, "Viter" is a 20-minute examination of separate elements of folk music and electronics. While Zavoloka composed all seven tracks on the EP, she asked Olga Patramanska to perform violin parts and Anton Zhukov to play the bass. Zavoloka plays her parts on an old analogue synth, but what comes through the loudest are the violin and bass motifs. These are very airy and leave much room for the composer to show off. Beats are quite minimal and very rarely do they take away from the central melodies carried by the strings that are always found up front and center. Most rewarding release, proving there is so much life and joy in Zavoloka's music this time around that one can finally picture her heritage that she's putting forward on display. (Tom Sekowski) Signal To Noise On Viter (Kvitnu), Zavoloka volleys through seven short tracks over a mere 19 minutes, but his stylistic sleight-of-hand keeps things lively despite the economy. When the first stings of violin meteorically exit the speakers, one wonders if the artist’s lost his mind, working out some faux orchestral maneuvers of a most disingenuous sort. On the contrary, once the crunch of rhythmic grit binds those atavistic violins, it’s obvious Zavoloka’s savvy: feinting left then going right, she upsets cochleal applecarts with morose relish, his slippery beats achieving some measure of horizontal hold that stops just short of getting the balance right. Major brownie pointsfor the striped curvature of the die-cut case as well, a waveform made waveshape. Boomkat Renowned as one of Ukraine's leading lights in electronic music Zavoloka makes a bewitching blend of elegant string-based music and programmed post-IDM beats. The compositions on Viter quickly reveal themselves as utterly addictive, at times sounding like the backdrop to a Bjork record, conjuring a motion blur echo of violin and contrabass whilst counteracting all that sweetened airiness with brittle, bitcrushed percussion and miniaturised braindance rhythms. Very nice indeed. |
| Last Updated ( Thursday, 03 December 2009 15:39 ) |