The cyclical nature of trauma and the subsequent search for identity in displacement find a harrowing, beautiful articulation on the fourth studio album by Morwan. Titled ‘Все по колу, знову,’ which translates to ‘All in a circle, again,’ the record functions as a sonic exhumation of the self. Created in Berlin following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, this collection of eight tracks represents a formidable shift for founder and primary songwriter Alex Ashtaui. Moving away from the leaner post-punk of earlier releases, the project now embraces an aggressive, multi-dimensional sound that incorporates the density of shoegaze and the unpredictability of avant-garde rock.
The title track serves as a haunting prologue; though penned in 2020, its inclusion here feels prophetic, establishing a recurring motif of being trapped within an inescapable vortex of dread. Ashtaui’s vocal delivery is raw and unshielded, navigating a landscape where personal fears and geopolitical catastrophes become indistinguishable. The expansion of the project from a solo endeavor into a collaborative unit has significantly thickened the atmosphere. The arrival of bassist Stefan Shtuchenko in 2023 has anchored the recordings with a newfound gravity, providing a melodic yet brooding floor for Ashtaui’s guitar work.
This evolution into a more cohesive ensemble is palpable on “Без обличчя” (“Faceless”). The interplay between the core duo and the contributions of drummer Oleksii create a suffocating, immersive environment. The rhythm section does not merely provide a pulse; it mimics the frantic, internal knocking of a mind losing its grip on reality. In “Мої дні” (“My days”) and “Темна, як спогад” (“Dark as a memory”), the music achieves a haptic intensity, where the shimmering distortion of the guitars feels like a physical barrier between the listener and the abyss of the lyrics.
The linguistic impact of Ashtaui’s Ukrainian lyrics is essential to this atmosphere, as the phonetic rhythm of the language provides a sharp, percussive counterpoint to the more expansive, shoegaze-leaning tracks. The hard consonants and elongated vowels of the Ukrainian tongue create a specific cadence that cuts through the dense instrumentation, lending the vocals a rhythmic urgency that feels deeply tied to the regional identity of Kyiv. In “Остання мить” (“Last minute”) and “Чорні схили” (“While you’re here”), this phonetic friction adds a layer of visceral authenticity, capturing the fragile desperation of trying to inhabit the present moment while being haunted by the ghosts of a discarded past.
The production, captured across several years in Berlin, maintains a sharp, cinematic clarity that allows the emotional weight of the songs to resonate without becoming obscured by the heavy instrumentation. The final descent of the album, marked by the harrowing “Темна, як спогад” (“Black slopes”) and the defiant “Не чекай” (“Don’t wait”), reinforces the theme of rejecting one’s essence in a futile attempt to start over. There is a persistence to these tracks that mirrors the inevitable flow of time and the relentless pressure of memory. Morwan has managed to create a sound poem that is both a document of personal grief and a sophisticated exploration of modern rock. ‘Все по колу, знову’ is a work of profound honesty, suggesting that while the circle of existence may be repetitive, the act of documenting it through such visceral art is a vital means of reclaiming control.
Learn more by visiting Feel It Records and Bandcamp.
