GOOD SOUNDS:
6. DAHKABRAHKA
DahkaBrahka is an absolutely inspiring live music experience like no other. This musical group was born originally from a live musical theater crew and eventually branched out and experimented with various incorporated styles (primarily focused around that very rich Ukrainian folk sound). I do not understand a single WORD of this group’s very captivating sound, but it is abundantly clear that each song has a story to tell.
There is a timeless quality to DahkaBrahka (a name derived from the Ukrainian phrase meaning “Give & Take”). From the beautiful wardrobe that calls to a traditional and long-ago time within Ukrainian culture - albeit a culture that has been given much flair and idiosyncratic folklore.
I find it very fascinating that this group had origins in a Center for Contemporary Art - and with that comes an open amount of musical possibilities (especially with the necessary ingredient of story-telling in artform). This group manages to have such an everlasting presence and for sure allows a listener to truly explore the sound of another world and another time with instrumentation that seems to be unfamiliar with the modern-day playing field.
DahkaBrahka is definitely a balance of fine storytelling, with personality quirks and a very fun time. It’s rare to have such unique musical flavors that resist both the rigid structure of traditional music as well as the ever-changing modern trends. DahkaBrahka has a sound all their own which manages to provide a beautiful blend of traditional and forward-thinking all in the same moment.
Happy Listening!
