Das Wortspiel is a captivating new experimental music project from Ukraine. This intriguing collaboration brings together the sound producer and composer Max Smogol and the incredibly talented singer Maryana Golovko. Maryana, who is a professional opera singer and a member of the world-famous Swedish-Ukrainian project NOVA OPERA, takes on the avant-garde spoken word genre with ease, building upon the pioneering work of Anna Clarke, Kate Tempest, and Laurie Anderson.
Their debut LP, Chapter I, is a concept album that explores the boundaries of melodeclamations with ethnic singing and theatrical performance. Music from a diverse range of genres serves as the backdrop, including lounge, fusion, electronica, ambient, and field recordings (with a particular emphasis on city and subway sounds). Each track on the album unfolds like a chapter in a gripping story, immersing the listener in a fascinating and thought-provoking world.
The album begins with the opening track “Maryno,” which sets the stage for what’s to come with its eerie, ambient soundscape and immensely gripping vocal performance. From there, the album takes us on a journey through a wide range of emotions and soundscapes, exploring themes of identity, communication, and human connection. Maryana’s operatic voice is simply stunning, bringing an otherworldly quality to the spoken word performances that is both haunting and beautiful.
One standout track on the album is “Lazy and Tender,” which features a mesmerizing fusion of ambient beats and hypnotically lustful spoken word performance. The track just teeters along with subtlety and suppleness. Another highlight is “Jolie,” a track that uses field recordings and an almost distorted soundscape to combine into this immersive and atmospheric experience that is both unsettling and mesmerizing.
All over its runtime, Chapter I is an innovative and highly original debut album that showcases the immense talents of Das Wortspiel. With its captivating blend of spoken word, opera, and electronic music, this album is sure to appeal to fans of experimental music and those looking for something truly unique and pathbreaking.