Progressive dark folk artist Marjana Semkina has announced the release her second solo album – “Sirin” – on May 31st, 2024, along with a Kickstarter campaign. She has also unveiled the first single “We Are the Ocean” along with a stunning lyric video.
Watch the lyric video for “We Are the Ocean” below.
Known for her work as the vocalist of prog duo Iamthemorning, self-exiled Russian Marjana has forged a successful solo career with two critically acclaimed solo releases: her 2020 debut solo album “Sleepwalking”, and 2021 follow-up EP “Disillusioned”. Like its predecessors, “Sirin” is a journey of dark stories and fairy tales, told with Marjana’s uniquely captivating voice, on a foundation of detailed musical arrangements. However there is a prevailing darkness and grief, inspired by of Russian invasion of Ukraine, with the first single about by the protests.
On new single “We Are the Ocean” Marjana comments: “This song was inspired by all of my Russian friends coming out to protest against the war when it started, despite the fact that there was a very good chance they’d get arrested for doing so – a lot did in the end. I wrote lyrics to this song on a train to one of those protests in London, Trafalgar Square in early March 2022”.
On the album “Sirin”, she continues: “Sirin’ is a mythical creature from ancient Slavic mythology, half-bird half-woman, she’s a harbinger of bad luck and death, and it’s believed that if you meet Sirin a big catastrophe will happen – except in case with the events surrounding this album it’s already happened. Sirin cries and mourns for humankind, and nothing can be more appropriate in this day and age. Sirin is one of very few creatures that can travel between worlds – a world of gods of light, a world of dark deities (in some versions an alternative to the underworld) and a world of mortals. This felt appropriate because the album is quite diverse in sound and some might think parts of it sound happy, but the subject matter is almost always quite morbid, which creates a contrast that I enjoy.
I was never very political and I always tried to keep my art within the realms of lore, literature and imagination. But when events like the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine happen, it is impossible – and I’d even say, unforgivable – to stay silent and do nothing. Thankfully being based in the UK I feel rather safe speaking out against the current regime and I do have a platform that I can use to try and show the world that Russians disagree with the actions of the Russian government, and there are so many of us that only wish for this to be over. I’m just trying to show it in the most artistic way I can muster”.
Now permanently based in the UK, Marjana has been an active campaigner against the Russian occupation in Ukraine and has raised thousands of pounds via her activities to support the victims of war. She will continue her work, including selling a number of a limited run of handwritten lyrics from “Sirin”, with the money going to Ukrainian charities. Acts punishable by 15 years imprisonment should she return home.
Marjana is joined by an array of world class musicians (detailed below), which includes two very special guest vocal performances from Jim Grey (Caligula’s Horse) and Mick Moss (Antimatter).
Pre-order “Sirin” here.
Tracklist:
01. We Are the Ocean
02. Lost But at Peace
03. Anything but Sleep (feat. Jim Grey)
04. Pygmalion
05. Angel Street
06. Gone
07. Death and The Maiden (feat. Mick Moss)
08. The Storm
09. Swan Song
10. This Silence This Dreaming
Marjana has previously collaborated with many incredible artists, including The Flower Kings, Jordan Rudess, Blackbriar, as well as Anna Murphy with their Maer project. Combined with her work in Iamthemorning, her experiences have enabled her to become one of the most unique and exciting solo artists in the progressive world today.
Recording musicians:
Grigoriy Losenkov – Piano, bass guitar, synths, drum programming
Vlad Avy – Electric guitar, synths, drum programming
Keli Guðjónsson (Agent Fresco) – Drums
Charlie Cawood (Medieval baebes, Knifeworld) – Acoustic guitar, bouzouki, glockenspiel, hammered dulcimer, luiqin, guzheng
Liam McLaughlin (Sithu aye, IATM) – Electric guitar
Margarita Chernyshevskaya – 1st Violin
Petr Chepelev – 2nd Violin
Julia Uliashcenkova – Viola
Julia Romashko – Cello
Weblinks:
www.facebook.com/marjanasemkina
twitter.com/marjanasemkina
