Zavoloka
Vedena
Kvitnu

From our friends in the Ukraine comes one of the finest CD covers to date: a hexagon-shaped digipak, with silver-glittery fuelled snowflake-design. Design of the year. Case closed. Designed by Zavoloka herself.

Kateryna Zavoloka is an Ukrainian artist whom we've checked out earlier here at Luna K., with her album Viter (in English: Wind). This is a new disc in the series of exploring, or interpreting the elements. To quote the Kvitnu label: "This is second volume from series of albums dedicated to Purification by Four Elements: Water." Right, so Vedana must be water then. Or, again quoting the mysticism of Kvitnu and the artist herself:

A true artist for sure this Kateryna Zavoloka.

Vedana is indeed a full meal, a 9 dish dinner. 9 tracks spreading over 50 minutes of music is quite challenging. It's a massive piece of work. Especially when talking synthesized sonic soundscapes deep into the electronic world. Vedana at least doesn't leave you thirsty (I didn't say 'thirsting for more'), or not entertained, as it's an (according to Zavoloka/Kvitnu): "It is inspired by knowledge about Ukrainian Cossacks-Magicians, so-called Kharakternyky, that could control forces of nature, particularly water. They used to drink spring water to purify their energy and to became undistinguished and fluid as water. To reach inner melting." Yeah. Mind-blowing, body-rinsing stuff.

When diving into Vedana, you'll find yourself surrounded by compositions forcing you to come up for air rather quickly and frequently. I'll admit that I do get a bit exhausted while listening to this record. Yet, it's fascinating to stay submerged among the electronic noise and sound-patterns. The sound of water. Or, the sound of the sound of water. I guess this is the real digital streaming of music.

Copyright © 2011 Håvard Oppøyen