A nuanced, complex record, ‘Pilgrims Never Come Back’ can be unwrapped into a couple of different layers, adapting to the listener’s perspective. First, there’s the purely technical aspect of it. Built on fusion, jazz-flavoured and elegant arrangements, the album showcases Polyvoda’s incredible musicianship, here manifested through a stream of modern and virtuoso musical stylings.
Then, there’s the lyrical layer, providing a fragile, honest and heart-wrenching experience of the group living amid a war – Polyvoda are Ukrainians – and the hardship and incessant questions that come with it. ‘Pilgrims Never Come Back’ features an unnamed singer and rapper, giving the project’s composition a heightened sense of meaning.
Now, while the two aforementioned layers might appear independent from each other, in reality, they work in pairs, influencing each other outlook and creating a cathartic artistic force, an unwavering flow of emotional energy and melancholia that’s the perfect match for our troubling modern times.
Lastly, let us pay our tribute to Polyvoda’s lineup: we have keyboardist Kyrylo Chykhradze, bassist Denys Levchenko, and drummer Mykhailo Birchenko, super talented musicians with an articulated artistic vision. ‘Pilgrims Never Come Back’ is an album you should discover – it’s worth it.
Recommended! Discover ‘Pilgrims Never Come Back’ on Spotify:
