Introduction from Aleksandr V Ruhklin (2003) :

"In Russia generaly our own folk music is not very popular. In Soviet Union there where official groups and underground (-'underground' in SU is different term from western countries not rather political than musical-). Many underground groups had some elements of folk music but it's now seem that musicaly they where not very interesting. Besides they had no chance of releasing LP's. Propably some among them were interesting but I don't know much about them. As for official they should perform a setteled amount of songs by official compositors. Group Ariel had some folk rock songs with progressive touch among boring official songs. I have one LP by them and don't have any information if they ever reissued on CD.  Now things are getting slightly better. At present time in our country ufficiantly popular celtic music and many groups play this kind of music."


THE (1ST) RADIOSHOW :


* Private   (Nickolas) Stavrogin (1995)***

Tr.5, "Yernbin kamenb" 6 min
Tr.7, "kopovebcakar cgagbhr" 4 min
Tr.11,"Mammar" 4 min 14

Rare acid folk tape. This release is very good guitar, male voice(s), violin, some handpercussion, flute and (double) bass. Has real beautiful tracks and a nice spontaneous chamber folk mood (live performance). Song and instrumentals. A few tracks are more traditional folk.

"During their '95 demo they were a four piece fiddle, acoustic/ electric guitar, that big acoustic bass thing. Penny whistle or something like that. Mostly acoustic, but I have heard a more recent track or two that were much more electric folkrock." Wallace

"Mervent is one of the best of current russian celtic groups." Mervent is a fine more traditional folk group. Mervent at http://mervent.celtic.ru/en_news.htm
* Private    Olga Arefieva & Kovchec : Kolokolchiki / "Tiny Bells"(1994)***°

Tr.1, "Kolokolchiki" 2 min
Tr.2, "Lesorubi" 3 min
Tr.6, "Noch v Oktjabre" 4 min
Tr.8, "Noch-Lowuska" 4 min 13 96

Very good art/ contemporary folk album, with acoustic guitars, double bass, cello, flute, percussion and beautiful female vocals. Not all her albums are in this style, but this one is highly recommended.

"Rada, Olga Arefieva and Inna Gelannaya all started their musical career in late 80th early 90th and released several albums." Arefieva released some albums in reggae style. Her most folk album is "Kolocolchiki" (and the best released album imho). Unfortunatly her best album "aku-aku" was not released on CD and the master tapes were stolen. " Alexandr

Other soundfiles : http://www.ark.ru/ins/albums/kolokolchiki/kolokolchiki.html

* Ark     Olga Arefieva : Devocka Scherzo / Scherzo Girl (RU,1997)**

Acoustic folkrock/singer's album. OK but not special if you don't understand Russian. The double live album is closer to Kolokolchiki, but is less dynamic.

Official page : http://www.ark.ru/ins/english/index.html with info on band : http://www.ark.ru/ins/english/press.html & http://www.ark.ru/ins/english/korshun.html etc..
MP3 : at http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/people/ovt20/ark_songs.htm & http://www.ark.ru/ins/songs/index.html
& http://www.ark.ru/ins/albums/batakakumba/batakakumba.html &
http://www.ark.ru/ins/albums/storona_ot/storona_ot.html & http://www.ark.ru/ins/albums/cow/cow.html
http://www.ark.ru/ins/albums/rln/rln.html Page in Russian : http://www.rakurs.ru/press/press7.htm

Olga also sang some Ural blues and had some reggea projects ?!...
* Prikosnovenie      Rada & Ternovnik : Salamandra (RU,2002)***°

Tr.1, "Wearing mouse's coat" 4 min
Tr.2, "Over there three roads cross" 4 min
Tr.11,"Deceptions" 3 min 11 83

Songs with beautiful female vocals and very nice arrangements of acoustic guitar, cello, tabla, clarinet, oboe. Some of the albums of the group are different in style. This is a very good album in arranged contemporary folk style. "And the time will come" is completely orchestrated.

Info : http://rada.rinet.ru/Rada-eng.html Russian : http://rada.rinet.ru/ Band contact : rada@rinet.ru
Reviews in English of Prikosnovenie label : http://membres.lycos.fr/prikos/groupes/radak.html
Reviews in English of other albums : http://rwcdax.here.ru/DIST/eng/reviews/reviews.htm#R&T3
Other page (in English) with nice picture & reviews : http://www.music.gothic.ru/russian/rada_e.htm
A few translated texts : http://www.zhurnal.ru:8085/music/Rada/Rada-lyr-eng.html
Label Ur-Realist page : http://imperium.lenin.ru/UR-REALIST/index-eng.html
MP3 : http://rada.rinet.ru/mp3_eng.html Latest album soundfiles : http://www.zvuki.ru/M/P/23406
* Private  Yat (RU,199?)*°

Independent folk with various influences. Generally poprockfolk with some humour. I played track 1 and 7 in another show before.

"I don't know nothing about this group. It's seems that this disk is pirate. No copyrights. First time I heared them on cassette. My friend who brought it know nothing about them. Later I found the CD and bought it myself. When I later heard it on radio rakurs even the DJ didn't have any information about it." Al.vR


* Private      V.A. : Archeology Project vol 3 (RU,?)**°°

Tr.7, Vily : "Yeptobbi Kaeyn" 4 min 30

Vily : Sweet drumming with heavenly female vocals, acoustic guitars & cello.
"Vily" can be translated as pitchfork, but there are some other meanings from little godness, living in the fields to slang word meaning extraordinary surprise. Works in the style of psychedelic-folk, based on the authentic Slavonic folk." Al.

"Archeology Project" : compilation albums with Russian Acid Folk : www.archeology-project.ru
with this release : http://www.archeology-project.ru/music/discs/pa-disc-03/disc-03.shtml
Other groups involved in this CD : Melnitsa ( Windmill) : see further down.
and White Owl who usually plays Celtic music. For the compilation disk they chose the most non-typical compositions of this group. (and with Ulitsa Radio (The Radio Street) in ethno-punk style).

I'll have vol 1 and 2 soon.
* PolygramNatalia Markova & Dvurechie : Svetozar (RU,1996)**°

Tr.7, "Tri Gle?" 6 min 6 20

Folk with other acoustic influences. Varied album, but this does not make the album enjoyable for each listen. I mostly prefer the more folky tracks. 
"Natalia Markova i Dvurecie released only one CD in 1994 and now group is disbanded." AvR

Cover & soundfiles (except the track I play) : http://maria.vvsu.ru/nm/
Lyrics with soundfiles : http://maria.vvsu.ru/nm/svetozar_txt.html
Lyrics : www.relex.ru/~ruthen/Groups/markova.php
* Private     Barysnya y Hooligan / the lady and the hooligan (1994-1997)**
(I airplayed tracks (1,3,6) in another show).

Singer-songwriter folk duo with some beautiful songs. Second half of it, with a rock group is not half that good.

"Baryshna y Huligan existed as far as I know from early 90th to '97. Founder member Pavel Morgunov Kashemirovy Globus. Some members are now in Mervent. "Live on Radio Rakurs Vol.2" is good. After this Baryshnya recorded "Sergey Kalugin" and "Bunt Zeren". "Bunt Zeren" not folk at all and "Sergei Kalugin" is more singer songwriter.  He wrote one very good song on album "Nigreto". But that's only one song on that album." A.vR. 
A SELECTION OF THE NEW CONTEMPORARY / CHAMBER / ART / PROGRESSIVE FOLK SCENE
FROM RUSSIA & FORMER RUSSIAN COUNTRIES

PAGE 1 :
-radioshow 2004-01-14- :
introduction->

featuring :
Stavrogin, Barysnya y Hooligan, Natalia Markova & Dvurechie, Raznotravie, Yat,
Archeology Project vol 3Rada & Ternovnik 1, 2, 3, Olga Arefieva & Kovchec, Melnitsa 1

Farlanders : moments
Olga Arefieva : Kokolokolchiki
Rada
Raznotravie : Katorga


GO TO PAGE 2


* Private           Raznotravie : Katorga (RU,2001)**°

Tr.10, "Nevesta" 6 min 26

Ethno-folk from Rybinsk, from around the Volga river. Instrumentation on two tracks is a bit like Garmarna.
I airplayed track 3 and 9 in another show before. The group adapted some Slavic poetry.

"Raznotravie It's a group from Rybinsk playing folk rock with strong russian and even ancient slavic folk influensies."  AvR   

Info :

"Folk-project "Raznotravie and Mitya Kuznetsov" from Rybinsk of Yaroslavl region, Russia. It is one of a few musical projects, which brightly represent Russia in the direction of world music. As the basis of creation "Raznotravie and Mitya Kuznetsov" is assumed ancient Slavic poetics, melodics and musical traditions of the different countries of the world. The poetic and musical style speaks about the uniqueness of the project, which is characteristic precisely for the Rybinsk Volga river Region and Poshekhonia , whence by birth almost all musicians of group. Poshekhonia is a big part of land to the north from central region of Russia with the wild woods, fields of various herbs and lost villiages. Many russian people still shure that Poshekhonia is unexisted and mistical place. The name "Raznotravie" takes it roots in the ambiance of nature of this land which stores the memories about ancient time in every wood, in every herb. That is why the name could be translated as "Manifold Herbs". But in russian it brings very bright, wild, and ancient image in one word. The history of the project:
The group "Raznotravie" was founded in 1997. In summer of 1997 group recorded the first concert program "Seven". In January 2000 "Raznotravie" invited multiinstrumentalist and performer of folk music Mitya Kuznetsov (known by group "Sedmaya Voda") to be producer and arranger of the new studio album. Close collaboration made it possible to find conceptually new sounding for the group "Raznotravie" and record album "Katorga". After recording the album Mitya Kuznetsov offered to combine songs of "Raznotravie" and his own solo programm. The result of joint operation is the adapted to stage show-project, which combined in itself the original creation "Raznotravie" and ancient russian folk songs performed by Mitya Kuznetsov and presented in his solo album "Pigeon book"..The project "Raznotravie" was finished in 2004."

Webpage (with sound) : http://www.raznotravie.ru/main/raznotravie_e.html Contact : dom@raznotravie.ru
with soundfiles of this album : http://www.raznotravie.ru/main/audio_e.htm and download here
* Ur-Realist          Rada & Ternovnik : ... / Cold Seasons (RU,2000)**°°

Tr.3,   "Covhije 3a Vyhon" 3 min
Tr.12, "Korya Dyat Temvo" 3 min 6
Tr.14, "Ha Yxadax" 12 min 18 48

With this release the band still a bit more a quiet dark (folk)rock band with alternative touches and various other style influences. With two very powerful moments, like these first two tracks. Last "prog" rock track is with emotional voice and nice improvisational energy. Especially these three tracks are fantastic !

More soundfiles : http://www.zvuki.ru/M/P/12513
* Ur-RealistRada & Ternovnik : Kniga o Gestokosti Genshin /
          The book of the cruelty of woman (RU,2001)****°

Tr.1,"Nebasnyi Gorod"/"Heaven City" 2 min
Tr.2,"Kodga Budet Teplo"/ "When will it be warm" 4 min
Tr.3,"Igrushechechnye Sny"/"Toy Dreams" 7 min
Tr.9, "I vremya Vyggenoe Vsluh"/ "And time burned aloud" 3 min
Tr.10, "Chto Tam Za Vorotami" / "What's beyond the gates ?" fragment 8 min 24 72

The best release I know so far, with great dynamism. The skilful tabla and very inventive violin with some harmonium gives it an Indian touch. With heavenly female voice & acoustic guitar. Also the voice is more emotional compared to their other releases. At the second track it's even a bit operatic. The tenth track has some great progressive movements with a hypnotic repetitive rhythm. Highly recommended progressive folk !
The theme is about the eastern image of such a perfect beauty, like with sirens, it hurts. It's in the same way about a world beyond reach, and with this kind of energy put into it.

More soundfiles : http://www.zvuki.ru/M/P/22162 & http://x-rec.com/main/ambient/rada.htm
* Private             Melnitsa/ Windmill : Road of the Dream (RU,2003)***°

Tr.7, "Zima"/"Winter" 5 min
Tr.8, "Voin Vereska"/ "Warrior of the heather" 6 min 11

The instruments used for this contemporary/acoid folk release are cello, double bass, violin, acoustic guitar, percussion, flute, and a beautiful female voice. See also side project Veter Vody (at next page).

"Melnitsa ( Windmill) are very popular now in Moscow." Alexandr

The foundation for Melnitsa are also Natalia Nikolaeva's (Helawisa) poems and compositions. She studied West European languages, including old one like Altic, Gothic, and Altiric. Beside her own songs she also used poems from Gumiljow, Zwetaewa, Yates and Burns.

Info : http://www.melnitsa.net/ Contact : chus@melnitsa.net ; download here