Diaspora (Omnium, 2009)
The Ukrainians are back with Diaspora. The album showcases their accordion-driven Eastern European sound which blends folk music from Ukraine and other parts of Eastern Europe along with western pop. The rhythm section, specially the drum beats, recall the frenzied style of the punk and ska bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The instrumentation includes electric guitars, mandolins, accordions, violin, electric bass guitar and drums.
The theme of Diaspora (dissipation) is Eastern European migration. In the past two decades, tens of thousands of young Ukrainians, Poles, Romanians, Bulgarians and other eastern Europeans have been moving to Western Europe and North America in the hope of finding better opportunities. Migration includes the heartbreak of leaving family and homeland temporarily or forever, coupled with the excitement of starting a new life. The Ukrainians’ songs reflect these feelings. The vocals are in Ukrainian. Several band members have Ukrainian parents or eastern European ancestry and continue to feel a connection to the land of their ancestors.
Diaspora demonstrates the vitality and power of one of the leading Ukrainian hybrid music bands.
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Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
