Tell me, please, how did the moving affect you?
Moving to Berlin made me more independent. All my conscious life, I was involved in certain communities of people with whom I was in close daily contact. These were friends' companies or project teams. In the last five years before the full-scale invasion, ‘Kultura Zvuku' was this community for me. My life was a bit like a sitcom plot with certain characters, several locations, and a new series every day. In Berlin, everything is radically different. I don't have a place I visit daily, nor a single company. I have many friends, but they usually do not know each other. There are many bars, clubs, and coffee shops that I like, but it's difficult to highlight one place. During this year, I spent more time with myself than, probably, in my entire life, and I infinitely value this experience. I learned to understand better and cherish my deep values. I delved into the study of music and nature. Fortunately, Berlin has access to a variety of both. Besides positive transformations, there is still a deep trauma and a feeling of grief. My hometown is Bakhmut, I lived in Kharkiv for the last 10 years. I hardly saw the war because I left early, and it is very difficult for me to realise and accept reality. But I am thankful to have a safe space to live through it.
How did the relocation affect the projects you are working on and your practice?
My main activity was a club in Kharkiv. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, it has stopped working. The team's attention shifted to the ‘Gasoline Radio’ project, which launched on February 22, 2022. Already in May, the radio renewed its activities and began broadcasting daily. At about the same time, the Kyiv school opened. In the beginning, I was immersed in the operational processes of ‘Gasoline’ remotely. But, gradually, the powerful team formed in Kyiv. And I relate to the radio only as a friend-assistant now, not part of the crew.
As of today, a large part of my attention is occupied by an intensive German language course, which I attend every day from Monday to Friday. I am still, to a point, involved in current 'Kultura Zvuku’ projects. Since February 24, a part of the team has been based in Lisbon, and last month the first promo party of the Sexto group — the Portuguese incarnation of ‘Kultura Zvuku’ — was held there. Now we are working on the preparation for the second event, in which I will take part as a DJ. I also recently joined the team of Ukrainian singer Alina Pash, and I help her with the organisation of her concert activities.
Who entered the Sexto group from the ‘Kultura Zvuku’?
The main driving force behind Sexto is Valentyn Bobylev, the founder of ‘Kultura Zvuku’ and co-founder of ‘Gasoline’. On February 24, he and his wife Svitlana were in Asia, and after the start of the invasion, they moved to Lisbon. Now they are working together on the Sexto project. Another member of the ‘Kultura Zvuku’ team – and also Sexto now – is Ania Mordak. In ‘Kultura Zvuku’, Anya was involved in bar administration, decorations, and merch direction.
The promo group appeared naturally from the desire to introduce Ukrainian artists and our approach to parties to the Portuguese community and create a platform for uniting and further interaction of people with common values. The parties are currently completely non-commercial, and all profits are directed to the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. After the first party, we donated 13 200 UAH.
More than a year ago, in a podcast for DTF, you mentioned that the Kharkiv scene is quite small. Do you feel that ‘Kultura Zvuku’ has changed this tendency?
It's hard to remember the context in which I gave this comment, but, in fact, Kharkiv's electronic scene is really quite small compared to the one in Kyiv and, especially, in Berlin. Everything that was happening in the city was quite easy to cover. It was strange for me to find out that there was a party that I had not heard about. And, often, even 2-3 large-scale events in the city in one night could be a problem for promoters. At the same time, in Kyiv, there could be a dozen events, and in Berlin, there could be more than a hundred.
‘Kultura Zvuku’ definitely pushed the development of the local scene, grew its audience, and became a platform for emerging artists. I think it's fair to say that for several years it was the main underground club in the city, as at one time 'Closer' in Kyiv. ‘Kultura Zvuku’ introduced many Kharkiv residents to electronic music and representatives of the community from other cities and countries to Kharkiv. Over the years of the club's existence, the demand for electronic music in the city has definitely increased. It is difficult for me to assess the current situation in the Kharkiv stage because I have not been there for more than a year. However, it is nice to see that party announcements are already appearing. I don't know what the new Kharkiv scene will be like since it is just emerging, but this is an incredible field for realisation, and I am sure that it will fill up very soon and naturally.
How do you see ‘Kultura Zvuku’ in a few years? How do you plan to develop the project?
It is difficult to answer this question. Part of the team is in Kyiv, and part is in Lisbon, I'm in Berlin. We didn't have any joint strategic planning of ‘Kultura Zvuku’ activities, and everyone is now as focused on controlling their lives and current projects. The formation leader, Valentyn, is a person I am ready to follow and will always support to the best of my ability.
Regarding my plans, I definitely want to return to Ukraine when I see an opportunity. Now I am here because my old life no longer works; I have nowhere to return to Kharkiv. And I don’t feel yet resourceful to build a new life in Kyiv with all the challenges associated with the war. So now it is as it is, and then we'll see.
How difficult was it to implement the ‘Gasoline’ in current conditions, and why, in your opinion, is it important to do it now?
As I said before, my involvement in the project is minimal now, and I have no right to speak on its behalf. I can say for myself that the functioning of the radio is a challenge. Currently, ‘Gasoline’ needs support, financial, informational, and simple attention. The project’s slogan is ‘Keep the fire burning’, which vividly describes its essence as I see it. It’s a platform that allows artists to perform and listeners to get to know and explore Ukrainian music and culture. At a time when Ukraine has become closed to foreigners, it is a megaphone that broadcasts Ukrainian content to the whole world. Especially in the first months of radio operation, when the platforms were just starting to return to work, ‘Gasoline’ was almost the only platform for the creative realisation of many musicians. The radio broadcasts research shows about Ukrainian rites, traditions, literature, and plenty of niche local content that wouldn't be found anywhere else. Recently, the boys went on an expedition to the Carpathians and explored local music. I'm super passionate about this project, and I really care about it. It runs on very limited human resources and will fade out without support. Therefore, I urge everyone who reads this text to support the radio and appreciate quality Ukrainian content.