Ukrainian minimal wave duo Bez Gruntu debuts with self-titled EP inspired by Donetsk
(Photo by Vitalii Mariash) The Ukrainian minimal wave duo, Bez Gruntu, has made its debut with a self-titled EP, released under the Ukrainian label OCHI.
Drawing inspiration predominantly from 70s electronica, the EP also incorporates elements of electroclash and dark wave. The duo elaborates, “What we believe to be of paramount importance is that in this EP, we have succeeded in capturing not just the atmosphere, but the very spirit of Donetsk – the city where we spent the majority of our lives, the city that has left an indelible mark on us, the city whose shadow now looms over the entire world.”
About Bez Gruntu
Bez Gruntu is composed of the couple Vadym Oliynykov and Kseniia Yanus. The project was conceived in 2022 in Uzhhorod, coinciding with the onset of the full-scale invasion. In 2014, Vadym and Kseniia had already been compelled to leave their hometown of Donetsk due to the Russian invasion. In the intervening years, they resided in Uzhhorod and Odesa, and are currently based in Kyiv.
The band’s name, “Bez Gruntu” (Without Soil), is an allusion to the magnum opus of Ukrainian writer Viktor Domontovych, a novel that explores themes of Christian heritage and cultural identity.
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