Russian Karelian Neofolk outfit Theodor Bastard are now announcing the re-issue of their 2020 masterpiece ‘Volch’ya Yagoda’, which was originally released on April 9 last year. The album will be re-released via Season of Mist on June 25, 2021 in various formats.
Theodor Bastard comment on the re-issue: “‘Volch’ya Yagoda’ is the Russian folk name for any poisonous forest berries. But there is a secret in it: the berries are not only poisonous, but also curative – if you know. We are very pleased that the ‘Volch’ya Yagoda’ album will be available to European and global audiences. We hope you can hear and feel a piece of the Karelian forest and indigenous traditions that we have imprinted in our modern sound.”
Track-list: 1. Flute Song (2:09) 2. Shumi (4:31) 3. Skejgored (4:44) 4. Urzala (4:04) 5. Les (4:09) 6. Kamen, Sneg, Metal (3:03) 7. Secrety (3:42) 8. Requiem (2:36) 9. Pozhato (5:06) 10. Volchok (3:28) 11. Obereg (2:53) 12. Fjorn Gaden (4:10) Total: 46:20
The multilayered and unpredictable 2020 album ‘Volch’ya Yagoda’ from Theodor Bastard, inherits the band’s recognizable multi-genre approach where psychedelic trip hop, combined with cinematic instrumentals and archaic world music, meets modern technological electronics. THEODOR Theodor Bastard combine Russian texts with glossolalia and shamanic spells as easily as they change instruments on stage.
Theodor Bastard is one of Russia’s most unusual bands representing the electronic Karelian neofolk genre. Also elements of dark wave and trip hop are present in the band’s music. The message doesn’t carry out everyday problems and is mainly focused on mythology and shamanism. The hallmarks of the band are the unique and bewitching lead vocals of multi-talent Yana Veva and the impeccable sound producing skills of Fedor Svolotch, founder of the band who created the band 20 years ago.
From album to album, Theodor Bastard carefully and masterly combine many different exotic and traditional instruments. The special northern atmosphere of their albums is created with Nordic nyckelharpa and jouhikko, primeval flutes created from tree roots and shamanic percussion.
“We live in the north of Russia in Karelia, which has a difficult fate” states band leader Fedor Svolotch. He continues: “This is a harsh northern region with unpredictable nature, with spruce and pine forests. Bears are found here. Moose and hare come straight to my house. In Karelia there are beautiful cliffs and clear lakes with fresh water. These are our personal places of power, the places where stones and winds are talking to us. Singing for us a songs of the northern harsh nature”.
Theodor Bastard‘s music is set out to take listeners to unexplored and other worlds. From the cold and twilight realms of the marshy swamps of taiga and mossy tundra, to unexplored places where the earthly plane and the spiritual world are separated only by a thin ghostly veil. Theodor Bastard consists of 6 musicians, turning their performances into a dark magic act that sends the audience back to Northern musical traditions, to the Karelian and the Russian folk. The musicians use a variety of electronic devices and ethnic instruments, but also their own hand-made instruments from stones, human bone and the roots of Karelian birch.
‘Volch’ya Yagoda’ provides you with the special northern atmosphere which is created with Nordic nyckelharpa and jouhikko, primeval flutes created from tree roots and shamanic percussion. And as always, the leading role in the album belongs to the voice of Yana Veva, exciting and bewitching by its deepness!
Credits: Fedor Svolotch: dulcimer, percussion, drums, guitars, synths, keyboards, noises, ukulele, davul, bell, lyrics, vocals / Yana Veva: flute, keyboards, synths, guitars, frame drum, ukulele, shakers, ocarina, clay whistle, lyrics, vocals / Ilia Dobrokhotov: nyckelharpa, jouhikko / Vyacheslav Salikov: cello / Ekaterina Dolmatova, Alexander Platonov: choir / Maria Starostina: harp, flutes / Evgeniy Khromov, Alexander Dubovoy: piano, synths / Sergey Smirnov, Timofey Smagliev: drums / Viktor Sankov, Pavel Paukov, Vasil’ Davletshin: bass / Alexei Kalinovskiy: keyboards, guitar / Kusas: percussion, marimba, melodica, shakers
All songs written by Yana Veva and Fedor Svolotch (except lyrics ‘Volchok’) / Arranged by Fedor Svolotch and Yana Veva / Producer: Fedor Svolotch
‘Volch’ya Yagoda’ was recorded at the Theodor Bastard studio and Dobrolet studio / Engineer (all drums): Alexander Dokshin / Mixed by Fedor Svolotch and Andrei Alyakrinskiy / Mastered by Boris Istomin / Cover: Boris Olshansky
Theodor Bastard current line Up: Fedor Svolotch – dulcimer, samplers, vocal / Yana Veva – vocal, bawu, ocarina / Kusas – percussions, winds / Alexey Kalinovskiy – keyboards / Sergey Smirnov – drums / Ekaterina Dolmatova – back vocal / Slava Salikov – cello, morin khuur
Pre-sales: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/TBVolch
Formats: -CD digipak / -Digital / -12” Black Vinyl Gatefold / -12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold (Gold & black Marbled/200 copies) / -12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold (Crystal Clear/200 copies)