BLISK by BLISK

BLISK's debut album features songs from all over Eastern Europe, the Balkans and beyond, as well as original tunes sung in multiple languages.

It will take you on a journey through Ukraine, Poland, Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan and Russia, via medleys and unique arrangements that draw out the magic and ancestry of the songs and their regions. Delivered through modern arrangements and rhythms, the band breathes new life into these age old songs. Whether it’s a spring song about waking the village up after a long winter slumber, the beautiful women of Macedonia, lullabies to soothe you to sleep, or a girl who just can’t decide who she really wants to marry, these songs will transport you through age old themes and melodies, stirring up ancestral memories.

In the original songs, BLISK sings about the powers that protect or unravel our fate, of the four elements and the way they dance together in song, and the floating, winding journey one embarks on after a shattering heartbreak.

Tracklist

1.	Under the Birch Tree	1:49

2.	Goranine	4:18

3.	Kolo	3:33

4.	Toy Bastar	2:56

5.	Zemlia	2:46

6.	Majka Rada	3:00

7.	Dunüshka	3:17

8.	Chmielu	3:18

9.	Da Selo	3:26

10.	Lullaby	3:48

Credits

released July 5, 2024

BLISK:
Stephania Woloshyn – vocals, zills, jaw harp, percussion, dance, singing bowl, foot work
Ekaterina – vocals, recorder, merlin, zhalejka, percussion
Nastasia Y – vocals, accordion, percussion

Guests:
Ewelina Ferenc – vocals (track 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10)
Tamar Ilana – vocals, darbuka, shekere (track 6)
Alison Gowan – hurdy-gurdy (track 3)
Anita Graciano – djembe (track 2)

All Tracks feature traditional music arranged by BLISK; except for track 3 & 5 written by Ekaterina (arranged by BLISK), and English lullaby for track 10 written by Stephania Woloshyn

Produced by Nastasia Y & Andrew McAnsh
Recorded with Julian Decorte at Canterbury Music Company, Toronto, ON
Editing by Andrew Chung, Toronto, ON
Mixing by Wojciech Lubertowicz, Warsaw, Poland
Mastering by Reuben Ghose at Mojito Mastering, Toronto, ON

Photography by Zahra Saleki
Album design by Stephania Woloshyn

Special Thanks to: Ewelina Ferenc, our sister and original founding member of BLISK. Jonathan and Tina and Rory Howson for believing in and supporting us, Spencer Nocturne Sutherland for opening the doors to the Dome for pre-production recording, the Gallo family for the Turkey Point pre-production retreat, our parents and partners for the support and putting up with our vocal warm ups, Cheryl Porter for the vocal warm ups, Misha and all the Drom Taberna Crew for the live support. Thank you to Irene Markoff, Aleksandra Denda, Marichka Marczyk, Sonia Kiriakova, Sholpan Utemissova, Anar Yessirgepova, Beibut Shumakov & your colleagues for your precious time, guidance, translations, and cultural support. Thank you Baba Katia for the delicious varenyky, borshch and holubtsi, Kraken for the courage, and all our fans who support, believe and feed us on this journey.

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