Один в Каное, translated from the Ukraine as “One in a Canoe” or “Alone in a Canoe” is a Ukrainian indie band originating in Lviv, Ukraine. In 2010 the band formed from 7-8 amateur musicians, none with any extensive formal musical education. After many members dropped out, only singer Irina Shvaydak and guitarist Ustim Pokhmursky […]

Taras Chubay (Тарас Григорович Чубай) is Ukrainian rock musician, poet, singer, composer, and leader of the seminal Ukrainian rock band Plach Yeremii (Плач Єремії). Through his poetic sensibilities and popular music, Chubay played a major role in the development of post-Soviet Ukrainian art. Chubay was born in 1970 in the city of Lviv, Ukraine. His […]

Mad Heads XL (previously known as Mad Heads) is a Ukrainian rockabilly and ska group from Kyiv. The band has reached near-legendary status after four studio albums, constant touring, and frequent television appearances. Mad Heads is known internationally, as well, as the most prominent rockabilly band hailing from Eastern Europe. Mad Heads’ debut album, Psycholula, […]

Lyuk (Люк; translates to “manhole” in Russian, but the members said they just liked how it sounded) was a Ukrainian rock and rock-adjacent band that broke up in 2011. They’re also affiliated with the genres of punk, acid jazz, lounge, funk, hip-hop, and a bunch of others—the band members themselves have had a hard time defining exactly […]

Lama (Лама; they usually use the Latin transliteration, though) is a Ukrainian pop-rock band founded in 2005. They sing exclusively in Ukrainian. The current members are singer Natalya Dzenkiv (Наталя Дзеньків), guitarist Andriy Alekseev (Андрій Алексеєв), bass guitarist Zurab Rogava (Зураб Рогава), synthesizer-ist Zheka Kobzaruk (Жека Кобзарук), and drummer Dmitro “ZI” Suprunyuk (Дмитро “ZI” Супрунюк). […]

Skryabin (Скрябін) is an alternative pop band from Novoyavorivsk (Новояворівськ), Ukraine. Proceeding through many stylistic changes throughout its long career, from rock and punk, through synth-pop and techno, to more standard pop-rock ballads, the band’s artistic trajectory is normally divided into two periods: old (pre-2003) and new (post-2003 to 2015) Skryabin. Formed in 1989 by […]

Vopli Vidopliassova (Воплі Відоплясова) is a critically acclaimed Ukrainian rock band from Kyiv. Formed in 1986, the band’s unique blend of punk, folk, jazz, rock, and ska with traditional Ukrainian elements has won them international renown. To date, the band has toured extensively throughout much of the former Soviet Union, much of Western Europe, Israel, […]

Okean Elzi (Океан Ельзи—note that this is the Ukrainian spelling) is a prolific Ukrainian rock band from Lviv. Formed in 1994, they have released nine studio albums since 1998, toured extensively throughout Ukraine, Russia, the majority of Europe, and North America, and are heralded today as one of the greatest rock bands of the former Soviet […]