"Zhyto" (meaning "Wheat" in Ukrainian) from EP 'III', is a trippy downtempo ambient electronic world music creation that pays homage to Eastern European folk tradition.
The song seamlessly fuses Ukrainian language (the singer's native tongue), along with Polish and Russian (featuring Toronto songstresses Ewelina Ferenc & Ekaterina), to create eclectic Slavic ethno-electro-folk-soul-fusion soundscapes.
The song is built over repeated imagery of the traditional folk element of "wheat", symbolizing "home" for Nastasia, who immigrated from Ukraine at the age of 11. This is contrasted with three folk songs (in Ukrainian, Russian, and Polish), intertwining the theme of the harvest with sorrowful songs about a bird's soaring flight. The song repeats the lines "A small bird flew over the field, looking for her falcon", in Ukrainian, referring to the lead singer growing up without her father. It ends with the line “Oh falcon, are you proud of me, like the wind is proud of the mountain?”
The 3-song electronic EP 'III' was created in a little cabin in the woods in Meaford, Ontario (near Toronto, Canada), where 3-members of DoVira (Nastasia Y, Mike Romaniak and Patrick O'Reilly) went to do a songwriting/production retreat. This retreat is what started the new electronic trio project.
"Жито" з EP "III" - це атмосферне творіння електронної світової музики, яке віддає данину європейській народній традиції. Ця пісня легко поєднує українську мову, а також польську та російську, щоб створити слов'янські етно-електро-фолк-soul-фьюжн-звуки.
3-пісенний електронний EP 'III' був створений в невеликій хаті в лісі в Онтаріо (поблизу Торонто, Канада), новим електро-тріо проектом DoVira3.
lyrics
Ah...
Ой жито, жито, жито, ой... x3
моє
Oy zhyto, zhyto, zhyto, oy... x3
moye
Ah...
Ой жито, жито, жито, ой (Птичка невеличка)
Ой жито, жито, жито, ой (По полю літала)
Жито, жито, жито (По полю літала)
Ой, мое (Сокола шукала)
Ой жито, жито, жито, ой (Ой ти сокіл ясний)
Ой жито, жито, жито, ой (Мій милий прекрасний)
Жито, жито, жито (Чи гордуєш мною)
Ой, мое (Як вітер горою)
Ah...
Będziemy się krężyli
Жаворонок
Ой да в темном лесе
Bośmy żyteńka dożeli
Разгани горе мое
Його не бачила
Я його не бачила, і я
Ні як не знаходила
Yoho ne bachyla
Ya yoho ne bachyla, i ya
Ni yak ne znahodyla
Chy horduyesh mnoyu (Bośmy żyteńka dożeli)
Yak viter horoyu (Zhavoronok)
Oy zhe sokil yasnyj (Razgani gore moye)
Mij mylyj prekrasnyj
Ptychka nevelychka (Bośmy żyteńka dożeli)
Po pol'u litala (Zhavoronok)
Po pol'u litala (Razgani gore moye)
Sokola shuka-
-----
*****TRANSLATION*****
UKR:
Wheat, wheat, wheat...
Small bird
Flew across the field
Flew across the field
Looking for her falcon
POL:
Let’s go around
We’ve made it to the harvest
RUS:
Oh Lark,
There in the dark forest
Disperse my sorrow
UKR:
I did not see him
I couldn't find him...
Small bird
Flew across the field
Flew across the field
Looking for her falcon
Oh you bright falcon
My sweet lovely
Are you proud of me?
Like the mountain is proud of the wind
credits
from III,
released October 3, 2020
Music - Stacey Yerofeyeva (aka Nastasia Y) & Mike Romaniak
Lyrics - Stacey Yerofeyeva (aka Nastasia Y)
Producer - Mike Romaniak
Synthesizers, guitars & electronics - Patrick O’Reilly
Vocals - Nastasia Y
Guest vocals (Russian) - Ekaterina
Guest vocals (Polish) - Ewelina Ferenc
Bass - Jason Cho
EWI - Kyle Woodard
Mastering - Reuben Ghose (Mojito Mastering)
Graphic Design - Little Odessa
Thank you to the Shevchenko Foundation for financial assistance
Electronics include TC Helicon VoiceLive Touch2 Vocal Effects Processor, and various effects, including Buchla Music Easel, Electro-Harmonix 16 Second Digital Delay, Boss RV-5, DD-3, DD-6, MXR Carbon Copy, & much more!
Nastasia Y is a Ukrainian-born artist in Toronto on a mission to sing to the world about Ukraine, combining jazz, funk,
rock, pop, and electronic elements with Slavic folk.
Her album ‘Kyiv Soul’ (May 2024) features Juno and Grammy award nominated musicians, exploring themes of resistance, generational trauma, and ancestral magic.
My first original album in English, influenced by artists like Stevie Wonder and Erykah Badu, created while I was finishing my music degree at Humber College Nastasia Y
Interested in folk fusion music? Check out this incredible band from Ukraine, combining authentic singing traditions with various world, dub, and experimental influences. Nastasia Y
With the woozy rhythms of trip-hop and the elasticity of funk, Ria Hall’s “Rules Of Engagement” is a moving meditation on love & revolution. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 9, 2017
