Label: Vyrii
Release Date:2024-11-29
Formats:Digital Album
Staying in Kyiv, Andrey Sirotkin’s music captures the raw emotions, frustration, and thoughts he faced while recording under the war’s absurd realities. Vyrii is the label he started in 2022 in Ukraine. The title comes from an Ukrainian word which actually doesn’t have a direct translation into any language – it’s a warm fertile country in the west or south, the abode of the souls of the dead and the wintering place of birds and other animals.
For Andrey the word “Vyrii” symbolises a place of freedom and equality. From start of the full scale invasion of Russia in Ukraine the world changed a lot for millions of Ukrainian people including Andrey and his family – a new reality with new limitations, restrictions, rules, fear and danger. This is the way Andrey can speak about his surrounding – physically and mentally.
Before producing tracks with easy and memorable titles without specific meanings and background stories, in the hope to be liked and understood by everyone, he has now truly found himself and shares via music what’s really inside him without hiding behind a mask.
For “Welcome to Vyrii” Andrey selected 11 tracks he created since Vyrii records started. In this 2,5 years he released music every 3 weeks. Each track is an expression of emotions and his state of mind that moment he tried to find a way out. All the times he found it – with producing music.
This compilation album is not just a work recap, it´s a diary in electronic music. Sometimes harder, sometimes dry, sometimes melancholic and sad.
Andrey Sirotkin about the tracks:
“All You Need Is Acid” asks the question: where is your safe place to escape the world‘s pain, evil, and anger? This track helped me with diving deep into rhythm and sounds.
“Rhubarb, Rhubarb“ is a phrase actors use to simulate talking without meaning like politicians who lie and manipulate with empty words.
“Choices Have Consequences“. In a fast-paced age driven by media, we often make spontaneous, emotion-driven decisions without understanding the consequences we will likely face.
“Too Naive”. Despite the world‘s madness and lies, opening up and seeing the best in others, though often seen as naive, is a sign of inner strength.
“Used To It”. If you‘re not part of scenarios from sci-fi utopian books, it‘s a sign you‘re doing great. According to Orwell‘s „1984,“ continuous war becomes part of everyday routine. Andrey is used to the uncertainty, pressure, and constant bad news, making continuous war feel like permanent peace.
“Kyiv-Lviv Express“ was created during Andrey‘s journey by fast train to his first DJ gig after the war began. This track became a magical remedy for navigating the conflicting emotions of right and wrong, passion and guilt, and inner fire versus societal judgment.
“I’m Eve” was created under the pressure of society which say “you’re not the man if you don’t go to military”.
“Future Noir” is a term from the book „Tech-Noir Film“ by Emily Auger which describes technology posing as a destructive and dystopian threat to our reality. While we often associate this concept with sci-fi movies and future scenarios, it is currently unfolding worldwide through our phones, laptops, and media, where the potential for creation is accompanied by the capacity to manipulate, cheat, and harm.
Inspired by the amazing people who help others in times of trouble, “People Are Amazing“ serves as a reminder for Andrey to reciprocate kindness and love, a lesson he learned through the war in Ukraine.
“Hide Your Pain But Now” highlights the moment of vulnerability, your special moment when in constant stress and pressure you allow yourself to be weak to release the pain.
“Who To Blame (except myself)”. After certain events, we often regret not spending more time with loved ones and expressing our feelings, realizing too late that we cannot turn back the time and are left with self-blame.
