Das Wortspiel is a new experimental music project from Ukraine. Its founders are the sound producer and composer Max Smogol and the incredibly talented singer Maryana Golovko. Maryana is a professional opera singer, a member of the world famous Ukrainian project NOVA OPERA. But she also records pop, jazz, and soul releases under the name SUOK.
In Das Wortspiel Maryana goes even further – into the territory of avant-garde spoken word genre, continuing the work of Anna Clarke, Kate Tempest and Laurie Anderson. Their debut LP with Max Smogol, Chapter I, is a concept album that combines melodeclamations with ethnic singing and theatrical performance. And music of different genres serves as a background to it: lounge, fusion, electronica, ambient and field recordings (especially a lot of city and subway sounds).
The leitmotif of the release revolves around the tragic events of 2022 in Ukraine. These are the stories of overcast, gray, deserted Kyiv, the artists’ native city. Manifestos of struggle, resistance, and freedom. Experiences of people who are forced to emigrate. They live in Berlin, but their thoughts are with Ukraine and its rich culture. Perhaps that is why the album features poems by famous Ukrainian poets from different eras.
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