Luna Kafé e-zine  Luna Kafé record review
coverpic flag Ukraine - Full Moon 232 - 07/31/15

Kotra
Rozviy EP
Kvitnu

We took on Kotra's (a.k.a. Dmytro Fedorenko) Reset some seven years ago, and we have checked out some of the collaborative projects with Kotra involved (check our archive). Yes, Kotra is the moniker for Ukrainian sound-artist and the founder of the Kvitnu label, Dmytro Fedorenko. Kotra is Fedorenko's main sound-art project. Since the late 90s, Kotra's released some 30+ sound documents (cassettes, CDrs, CDs) - as Kotra and/or in collaboration with other artists/musicians.

Rozviy is a three-track EP, presenting "Spiv Zolota", "Perehid", and "Freyr Hologram". As always, Kvitnu comes up with fitting and precise descriptions of their releases. Rozviy EP is some 'Raw and dirty bass and noise recording, with hiss, dust and overloads. Analogue tube overheated songs of rich distortion. This is strict music, way inside the avant-garde garage or factory? Inside the avant factory, by the assembly line. Noise included. The pulse, the beat and the sound of the songs are pure monotony and repetition. They are almost graphic in their extreme patterns. The long-stretched, seven-minute "Freyr Hologram" is the soundtrack (fictious, imaginary - yet true) to some photosensitive medium. It is almost holographic, with the intense and repetitive sound almost illuminating everything. The sound-art is art-in-motion, while standing still. Rozviy EP lives up to Kvitnu's motto, being 'High Blood-Pressure Music'.

Rozviy EP is so massive and concrete... it holds a substantial physique almost making it some sort of installation art. This is no fooling around. This is the serious stuff. Like Fedorenko told the Far from Moscow site/label/promo-co a few years ago, about the music biz: 'Things would be a lot better if less junk were published... In my opinion, the world of music doesn't succumb to categories such as "better" or "worse." You can't improve water, for example; you just need to stop pouring dirt into it. Then you can drink it.' Kotra is far away from the junk-side. Rozviy EP is heavy water.

Copyright © 2015 Håvard Oppøyen e-mail address

You may also want to check out our Kotra article/review: Reset.

© 2015 Luna Kafé