Ukrainian music ensemble "Dnipro". Ti, scho pohodjat' vid Soncja. (Descendants of the Sun)

The ensemble of Ukrainian music "Dnipro" as far back as in their first album ("Spring Water") brightly demonstrated their high professionalism. In the current work, the collective's capacity for creative consideration of folklore music heritage shows up at a new, more complicated level. To your attention – not just an album as a collection of separate works, but an integral composition. Music researchers determine it as a mono-opera – a bit unusual both in its form, and in the context (though, traditionally, you will find a libretto in the booklet). We could say that it is a new attempt of artistic, metaphorical recreation of the process of becoming of Ukrainian people. However, here they use the symbolism that, if we step aside from the essentially Ukrainian nuances of sounding, is universal – both for any people and, presumably, for humanity as a whole. In fact, such things as the Sun, Spring, Opposition and Cooperation of the masculine and feminine, the earthly and celestial, etc. are actual and clear for everyone, aren’t they? The fact that the ensemble uses a very extensive palette of authentic instruments – both spirits and rhythmic – provides for the direct and very deep impact on the audience. And that is already a specific merit of the ensemble – that this use has unusual, rather innovative features. But, at the same time, they are easy for perception. Besides, even if one's ancestors are dozens of generations of urban residents, all the same. In any case, somewhere inside there are the strings that necessarily respond to sounding of instruments whose history is hundred, and even thousand years old. The same is true about singing: regardless of in what decoration it is offered, if it comprises this most ancient root – then it will by all means attracts attention, compassion. You will, I am sure, make sure of that yourself having listened to the disc. This is no doubt a serious creative claim for success – with its own face and real contents.

Anton Jozhik Leyba (Hedgehog)