Okean Elzy presented their latest – and seventh – album “Dolce Vita” on March 10. Like their previous work, “Mira,” it showed that while the band still produces quality music, the golden days are over.
Therefore, their former title of the most favorite, popular and beloved Ukrainian band is now up for grabs. Meanwhile, it’s worth recalling the 16-year progress of Okean Elzy on the Ukrainian music scene, from promising beginner to respected veteran.
Okean Elzy was formed in Lviv in 1994 by soloist Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, guitarist Pavel Hudimov, bass guitarist Yury Khustochka and drummer Denis Hlinin. Playing a mix of pop and punk, they moved to Kyiv in 1998 to advance their musical career. While Vakarchuk often told stories of his band’s difficult beginnings in the capital, it’s a common belief that the band’s upward movement was helped by his father, Ivan Vakarchuk, the former education minister who was rector of Lviv University at the time.
Even so, the warm reception that Okean Elzy received with the release of its first single/debut album “Tam De Nas Nema” (There Where We are Not) was genuine. Vakarchuk’s hearty vocals combined with songs with fetching and thoughtful lyrics hit the right spot. The band was soon topping all the charts. In a way, Okean Elzy became the first band to bring fans of pop and rock together in the same concert halls. Soon after the release of the second album, “Yananebibuv” (I Was in the Sky) in 2000, the band was joined by keyboardist Dmytro Shurov, who completed what is now known as the “golden cast” of the band.
After that, the triumphant times came for Okean Elzy. Their 2001’s record “Model” featuring hits “911,” “Drug” (Friend) and “Kvitka” (Flower), was named the best Ukrainian album by local music critics. The band also distinguished itself as one of the few artists performing in Ukrainian, to gain some serious fame in Russia. Elzy’s songs “Koly Tebe Nema” (When You Are Not Here) and “Kavachay” (Cofee-tea) were even included in the soundtrack of the major Russian blockbuster “Brat 2” (Brother 2).
The band’s next record, “Supersymmetria” (Supersymmetry), released in 2003, was characteristic of the pompous classic rock sound, reminiscent of Queen and other 1970s bands. It also became the last work that the “golden” cast of the band completed together. Three of its core members parted with Okean Elzy over the next two years, claiming “creative differences” with frontman Vakarchuk. Hustochka and Shurov started a Western European type indie band Esthetic Education with Louis Franck, a Belgian-born musician and film director. By now the band has released two studio albums and one live record. Hudimov began a solo career as musician in his own namesake band, and as a gallerist by opening YaGallery in Podil. Both of these projects have been quite successful.
However, as is often the case with bands in Ukraine, the fact that the band’s frontman and its “face” – Vakarchuk – still remained meant that it could be easily rebuilt from scratch. New musicians were quickly hired, including bassist Denis Dudko, Serbian keyboard player Milosh Yelich and guitarist Petr Chernyavsky. But from then on, Okean Elzy was mainly associated with Vakarchuk’s persona. The band assumed an even more ambitious sound and socially oriented lyrics. Vakarchuk and Company were active celebrity participants of the 2004 democratic Orange Revolution. Their song “Mayzhe Vesna” (It’s Almost Spring) became one of the symbolic soundtracks.
According to the record label Lavina Music, the 2005 “Gloria” album turned platinum in the first six hours after its official release, selling over a 100,000 copies. The album featuring vigorous and uplifting songs “Bez Boyu” (Without a Fight) and “Vyshche Neba” (Higher than the Sky), was the last hit-packed album of Okean Elzy to date.
After the release of previous record “Mira” in 2007, the band announced they were taking a “creative break.” Still, Vakarchuk presented an unexpected solo project “Vnochi” (At Night), already the following year. It consisted of songs written mostly by Vakarchuk himself, with sounds blending jazz, folk, indie and reggae. The record was full of teary romantic songs, very characteristic of Okean Elzy’s usual repertoire.
Currently promoted through the single “Ya Tak Hochu” (I So Want) and a video for it, the latest record “Dolce Vita” shows Okean Elzy staying faithful to its sound, but not really progressing. As for naming the album after Federico Fellini’s classic film, Vakarchuk explained that “the pictures he saw in his head as he was writing the songs looked just like the stills from the Fellini’s movies.” Such pretentious explanations are typical for him, and the band’s music likewise suffered from this attitude. Okean Elzy’s main problem is that it takes itself too seriously. They are way too solemn, self-important, dramatic and even tragic. Indeed “Dolce Vita” does sound melodious, poetic and hearty … and dull.
On May 12, Okean Elzy is embarking on the “Dolce Vita” tour that will include more than 70 cities of Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Western Europe and the United States. The tour will start in Kostroma, Russia. After completing the Russian part of the tour, Okean Elzy will play two concerts at Kyiv’s Sports Palace, on June 2 and 3.
Kyiv Post lifestyle editor Alexandra Matoshko can be reached at [email protected].
