Ukrajins‘ka herojichna pisnja. (Ukrainian Heroic Song) // www.UMKA.com.ua

For those who did not know: Oleh Skrypka organized another interesting event in Kyiv – the festival "Moloda Gvadrdiya" devoted to the Ukrainian heroic song. And one of realizations of this project, apart from holding the festival, is release of a collection of, actually, those very heroic songs. It appeared that there was quite a lot of Ukrainian songs on this topic. It appeared that this was very much interesting to a lot of people. It appeared that this theme was able to inspire and induce to individual creativity. Possibly, this is one of reasons why the collection has comprised not only old songs, but also those composed by our contemporaries – the musicians who took part in the project. However, the majority is still made up by pieces known for a long time. The songs were reconsidered in the musical sense – therefore, they have appeared in an absolutely renewed, modern form. I do not know if it is good or bad, but they did not have to change the texts – they sound absolutely clear for the young generation... In any case, "Ukrainian Heroic Song" is one of the most interesting collections of the recent months. Both for the idea, and for the realization. Really, not just talented musicians have gathered here, but absolutely different ones, not resembling each other. And some of them have even sounded here in a new, unexpected way – it is not at once that one recognizes them, and this is also nice. Thus, the only thing left to us is to admit once again that Oleg Skrypka has once more hit the goal with his project – bravo!

Note! This album is also released as a vinyl LP.

Taras Chubay, Kuzma Skryabin, Molotov 20. Nashi partysany. /cassette/. (Our Guerrillas)

Audio cassette/ ..This is, without exaggeration, a legendary album. And it was not even about the list of the project's authors.. The album was first released in 2000 – and it was perhaps the first collection of insurgents' songs in modern arrangements in Ukraine. And it still, in my opinion, remains the best one.

Domestic price: 208.60UAH, International price: $14.90USD

Taras Zhytynsky. Kozats‘ki balady. (Cossack Ballads)

Taras mainly sings folk songs – and far not all of these songs are as known and popular as they deserve being. But here one should be grateful not only for revival of some songs, but also for how they sound in his performance: Taras Zhytynsky has the voice and intonations that it is just difficult not to trust to.

Domestic price: 348.60UAH, International price: $24.90USD

Ukrajinski striletski ta povstanski pisni. Golden Collection. (Ukrainian Shooter and Insurgent Troops' Songs)

Our regular visitors long ago already got convinced that appearance of new discs of the "Golden Collection" series is always a reason for good moods, didn't they? And we are happy to admit that the tradition is kept on – compilers of the series, as well as before, discover new original themes for the collections – this is important, you should agree.

Domestic price: 390.60UAH, International price: $27.90USD