Shukai releases — Muscut Records

Shukai, Discogs, Spotify, Instagram, YouTube

Cukor Bila Smert’ — Recordings 1990—1993

Outliers in the thriving Ukrainian underground during the last days of Soviet rule, a long overdue compilation surveying the career of Cukor Bila Smert provides a complex mosaic of anxiety, surrealism, cabaret, paranoia and darkness, says Jakub Knera — The Quietus

Cukor Bila Smert’: Svitlana Okhrimenko (lyrics, keyboards, piano, vocals), Eugene Taran (lyrics, keyboards, guitar), Oleksandr Kohanovs’kyi (piano, A1-B2), Tamila Mazur (cello, A1-B2), Boleslaw Blaszczyk (cello, C5-D6)
Cover photo by Vlad Urazovs’kiy
Photo archive courtesy: Vlad Urazovs’kiy, Vlodek Nakonechnyj (Koka Records),
Oleh Yuhrinov, Sergii Myasoyedov
Audio archive courtesy: Vlodek Nakonechnyj (Koka Records), Guido Erfen, Sergii Myasoyedov
Liner notes: Vlad Yakovlev
Compiled by Dmytro Nikolaienko, Dmytro Prutkin and Sasha Tsapenko
© ℗ Shukai / Cukor Bila Smert’
2024

Svitlana Nianio — Transilvania Smile, 1994

Shukai 8 (12" LP/DL)

BUY

Svitlana Nianio's 1994 masterpiece 'Transylvania Smile' is one of her earliest solo recordings, unreleased - in this final form - until now. Melting traditional Ukranian folk with piano and harmonium improvisations, Nianio pre-empts later wyrd folk developments with a charmed suite that connects outsider forest folk with layered vocal drones and choral motifs to captivating, heart-stopping effect. — Boomkat

Original Soundtrack for the Dance-Theatre Performance “Transilvania Smile” by Svitlana Nianio
Recorded in phantonstudio, Cologne, 1994—1995
Mastered by Michael Springer (phantonstudio)
Shukai team: Dmytro Nikolaienko, Dmytro Prutkin and Sasha Tsapenko
Liner notes by Vlad Yakovlev
Graphic design by (DN)
Svitlana’s stage photo by Christiane Bowinkelmann
Pentamonia Dance Group photos by Olav Faustmann
Special thanks to Michael Springer (phantonstudio) and Guido Erfen
© ℗ Shukai / Svitlana Nianio
2023

Oleksandr Yurchenko — Recordings Vol. 1, 1991—2001

Shukai 7 (12" LP/DL)

BUY

The recordings, made between 1991—2001, open a fascinating and intensely personal portal to the inner life of Ukraine’s most mysterious artist. A private person who never gave interviews, partly due to suffering from ill health, it’s only in recent years and via reissues on Tom James Scott’s Skire and Ukraine’s Delta Shock labels that Yurchenko’s music has come to wider attention, and with it his history in the Ukrainian underground music movement known as “Novaya Scena”. — Boomkat

Composed and arranged by
Oleksandr Yurchenko in 1991—2001
Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi
Compiled by Dmytro Nikolaienko,
Dmytro Prutkin and Sasha Tsapenko
Liner notes by Vlad Yakovlev
Graphic design by (DN)
Artist photos by Ivan Moskalenko
Tape photos by Vlad Yakovlev
Special thanks to Vlad Yakovlev and Bloomed In September records,
Ivan Moskalenko aka DJ Derbastler and Ritmika Tape records, Svitlana Neznal and Svitlana Nianio
© ℗ Shukai / Oleksandr Yurchenko
2023

Valentina Goncharova — Recordings 1987-1991 Vol. 2

Shukai 6 (Vinyl/Cassette/DL)

BUY

Following the unpublished works of the Ukrainian/Estonian musician Valentina Goncharova, Volume 2 of Shukai’s archival project sits in direct contrast to the solo works of Vol. 1. Spending her youth studying classical music first in Kyiv and then in Leningrad, Valentina began her musical career with rigorous compositional study and concert violin performance. This long player of duets as such casts a light on Goncharova’s experiences with early free jazz, democratic improvisation and introductions to pure electronic sound. Where Vol. 1 explored her home studio experiments and flirtations with musique concrete and new age, this volume seeks to give audience to similarly DIY recordings developed in collaborative environments away from the conservatoire.

Composed and arranged by Valentina Goncharova, Aleksander Aksenov, Sergey Letov and Pekka Airaksinen Recorded in Tallinn, Riga, Helsinki and Moscow during 1987—1991
Mastered by Flaty
Compiled by Dmytro Nikolaienko, Dmytro Prutkin and Sasha Tsapenko
Liner notes by Fergus Clark
Master tapes courtesy by Valentina Goncharova
Cover photo by Igor Glazistov
Special thanks to Maarit Vainio, Sami Pekkola, Nina Aksenova, Ats Luik and Martin Jõela
Released December 3, 2021

Volodymyr Bystriakov — Battlefield, 1986

Shukai 5 (Vinyl/DL)

BUY

Music for animation cyber-noir film “Battlefield” based on same-titled book by Stephen King.
Animated films soundtrack is one of the most substantial aspects of Bystryakov's career. He masterfully balances between being a composer and a sound designer. A cartoon thriller for Stephen King's original story was created at the Kyivnaukfilm studio in 1986. The work itself reached the Soviet reader in 1981 for the first time and was King's first publication in the USSR, as well as "Battleground" was the first and only film adaptation.

Composed and arranged by Volodymyr Bystriakov
Sax by Ihor Rudyi
Film director: Mykhailo Titov
Artwork: Maria Cherkaska
Restoration and mastering by Max Kondrashov
Compiled by Dmytro Nikolaienko, Dmytro Prutkin and Sasha Tsapenko
Artwork courtesy by Dovzhenko Centre
© ℗ Shukai / Volodymyr Bystriakov 2021

Shapoval Sextet — Kobzareva Duma, 1976

Shukai 4 (Vinyl/DL)

BUY

In winter 1976, a few years before Olexandr Shapoval headed up well-known band Vodogray, a jazz band called Shapoval Sextet recorded three pieces "Kobzareva Duma" in live at the Donetsk Jazz Festival. The tape has been lost for almost 45 years, until now. The most radical, experimental and psych jazz recording from the Ukrainian Soviet-era found to date.

Composed and arranged by, flutes, saxophone: Oleksandr Shapoval
Trumpet: Oleg Anapolsky
Electric organ, piano: Oleg Kosko
Guitar, spoken words: Igor Kruchinenko
Drums: Oleksandr Gurov
Bass guitar: Oleksandr Ishchuk
Recorded live in 1976 at The Donetsk Jazz Festival
Restoration and mastering by Flaty
Liner notes by Mykola Amosov
Compiled by Sasha Tsapenko, Dmytro Prutkin and Dmytro Nikolaienko
© ℗ Shukai / Oleksandr Shapoval
2020

Valentina Goncharova — Recordings 1987-1991, Vol. 1

Shukai 3 (Vinyl/Cassette/DL)

BUY

Developed as an archival project for Soviet era electronics, Muscut sublabel Shukai deliver their first double LP with the home-recordings of Valentina Goncharova. Now based in Tallinn, the Kyiv born composer drew influence from the likes of Stockhausen, Xenakis and Ganelin Trio during the 1980s and experimented with marriages of electro-acoustic sound. Her homemade pickups and effects chains lend an extraordinary drone quality to amplified cello strings - minimalist classical movements, field recordings and spectral musique concrete unfolding across eleven distinct pieces. Shukai unveil a deeply personal parallel to the conservatoire background and classical repertoire of Valentina’s lifelong career in music, these recordings offering a glimpse of an artist free from academic strictures. ‘Recordings Vol. 1’ deliberates on the broader new music movement of the 20th century and highlights an overlooked innovator of the Eastern European avant-garde.

Composed and arranged by Valentina Goncharova Recorded in Tallinn and London during 1987—1991
Mastered by Flaty
Compiled by Sasha Tsapenko, Dmytro Prutkin and Dmytro Nikolaienko
Liner notes by Fergus Clark
Master tapes courtesy by Valentina Goncharova
Photos by Igor Glazistov
Special thanks to Ats Luik and Martin Jõela
© ℗ Shukai / Valentina Goncharova 2020

Volodymyr Bystriakov — Alice Through the Looking Glass, 1982

Shukai 2 (Vinyl/DL)

BUY

Shukai is psyched to announce our second release - music for the animated television film Alice Through the Looking Glass, which has never been released before.
The music was recorded in 1981 and the film was broadcasted on Soviet television in 1982.
Alice Through the Looking Glass created by Kyivnauchfilm studio and directed by Efim Pruzhansky is a colour animated film based on the novel by Lewis Carroll.

Composed and arranged by Volodymyr Bystriakov
Film Director: Efim Pruzhansky
Artwork: Iryna Smirnova, Genrih Umansky
Restoration and mastering by Max Kondrashov
Compiled by Sasha Tsapenko,
Dmytro Prutkin and Dmytro Nikolaienko
Master tapes courtesy by Volodymyr Bystriakov
Artwork courtesy by Dovzhenko Centre
© ℗ Shukai / Volodymyr Bystriakov
2019

Victor Vlasov – The Air Seller (Music For Television Film), 1967

Shukai 1 (Vinyl/DL)

BUY

Shukai presents its debut release - music for television film The Air Seller by Victor Vlasov, which has never been released before.
Recorded in 1967, the same year as the film was broadcasted on Soviet television.
The Air Seller directed by Vladimir Riabtsev is a black and white film based on the eponymous sci-fi novel by Alexander Belyaev, first published in 1929.

"Untitled" tracks numbered I-VI are not in the original score.
Music by V. Vlasov
Lirycs by V. Berezinsky
Recorded in 1967 at Odessa Film Studio
Mastered At See Why Audio
ⒸⓅ Victor Vlasov, 2019
Shukai 1, 2019