DakhaBrakha means ‘give/take’ in the old Ukrainian language. And it’s true, we see a real ‘give and take’ with the band’s influences – taking Ukrainian folk music and putting their own unique and theatrical spin on it.

Often accompanied by Indian, Arabic, African, Russian and Australian traditional instrumentation, their music is said to elevate folk to the ‘avant-garde’. The diversity of their influences produces a wonderfully baffling and totally addictive wall of sound. Their earthy vocals feature tight harmonies, mashed up with guttural wails and high-pitched yelps. Bass-heavy drumming creates spellbinding rhythms. The interaction between the band members themselves is also truly hypnotising.

Combine this with their outfits (towering black hats made of coarse lamb’s wool paired with lace wedding dresses or embroidered smocks) and the visual effects incorporated into each show, and you’ve got something truly breathtaking. There’s a strong theatrical influence, as DakhaBrakha was created in 2004 at the Kyiv Center of Contemporary Art (DAKH) by the avant-garde theatre director — Vladyslav Troitskyi.

After performances on Later… With Jools Holland, KEXP and an NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert, their YouTube views for individual videos have breached 1 million. They are blazing a trail, attracting global attention, and deservedly so.

Catch them in London, promoting new album The Road, on October 17th.

Podcast: Rebel Up Nightshop #93

Nightshop show for March via Radio Campus Bxl with 3 hours of new global sounds, also broadcasted via Rhythm Passport & Groovalizacion Radio. Starting with songs of the day from South Korea (Park Jiha) Ukraine (DakhaBrakha) and USA (Betty Davis). Our albums of the month take us to Cabo Verde…

Artists: Akram Abdulattah , Americo Brito , Arp Frique , Bandua , Betty Davis , Bolis Pupul , Charlotte Adigéry , DakhaBrakha , Etran de L'Air , Grand Sorcier , K.o.g. , Mariseya , Maxiroots , Park Jiha , The Ano Nobo Quartet , The Scorpios , YIN YIN

Preview: DakhaBrakha @ EartH (London; Friday 26th July 2019)

The first reason to go and see DakhaBrakha on 26th July is that, of all the many UK gigs I went to in 2018, their show was by far the most memorable, and my personal favourite. Their concert at Southbank Centre in October last year swung between vivid peaks and…

Artists: DakhaBrakha

Event Review: DakhaBrakha @ Oval Space (London; 29th November 2017)

Ice-cold breezes and dark evenings are commonplace for Londoners in the last few weeks of November. On the evening of the 29th, a long queue gathered outside the Oval Space doors, all wearing a respectable range of woolly coats and shaggy caps, warm voices resonating in disparate languages. First come…

Artists: DakhaBrakha