The new single, “Raven,” from Ukranian electronic fusion/world music project Electromush, is the newest enthralling track from a rising musical outfit that is unlike any other.
“Raven” presents a mystic appeal amplified in all ways by the haunting vocals of the female vocalist known only as Petra. The track is a perfectly creepy song for the Halloween season or your Halloween playlist.
Petra’s rich vocals come front and center and then evolve into an all-encompassing rush of layers of dubs. Together with intricate composing and mixing of keys and live instruments like the mandolin, the overall effect is mesmerizing and unmistakably haunting.
Electromush’s world fusion sounds and folk influences are meticulously arranged by fellow Ukranian composer Bohdan Butov and produced by engineer Konstantin Kostenko.
Formed in 2013 in Kyiv, the musical trio – which is not really a band in the traditional sense – set out from the start with a unique multicultural to bridge music of the old world with the new.
The trio purposefully seeks out old, traditional folk songs to give them new life. Often Petra will even sing in the native language interpreted for modern times with the use of electronics.
The band’s stated mission is to “unite eclectic cultures in both geographical and historical sense from Asia to Europe” by “representing the ancient folk music with technology.”
Another recent track to that end is the indie-pop single, “Runaway Crane (Winter Is Coming).” It presents an ancient Celtic flare along with marching band-like drumming and a more defiant vocal delivery from Petra. The band’s sounds are really rich and interesting.
They’re also playful and experimental. This includes recording sound effects from barrels, hoses, plastic bags, and circular saws, among other oddities. In a more mainstream sense, the band’s influences are stated as Peter Gabriel, Dead Can Dance, and Yello.