The Lviv-based band “Arnika” is likely the first to come to mind for many who are familiar with our musical heritage.
Over the past few years, the band’s work has once again become part of the national cultural heritage: this is evidenced by the number of views on YouTube channels and the immense popularity of the song “Kateryna,” which has gone viral on TikTok.
The band was formed in Lviv in late 1971 on the initiative of Volodymyr Vasyliev, a talented singer and excellent organizer who managed to gather a whole group of gifted musicians around him. They came together as a band to play contemporary popular music at a professional level, and they succeeded! It should be noted that throughout its entire existence, “Arnika” has always been an independent group.
In the 1970s, every ensemble without exception played arrangements of folk songs; however, no one else knew how to so successfully combine Ukrainian melodies with jazz syncopation, or Hutsul modes with beat rhythms. That is precisely why “Arnika” won the most popular youth TV contest in the Soviet Union, “Hello, We’re Looking for Talents!” in 1972. That is precisely why “Arnika,” without belonging to any philharmonic, managed to record and release an album that Ukrainian music lovers have been listening to for over half a century.
“Silver Ships” is the only full-length release issued at the height of the band’s fame. The album was recorded in Lviv in the summer of 1973. Undoubtedly, following their triumphant performance at the “Hello, We’re Looking for Talent!” contest, the album’s release cemented the success the band had achieved in 1972; according to Viktor Morozov, the album’s release “was a remarkable achievement, and it significantly influenced the band’s popularity.”
This record is a document of its era, eloquently attesting to the obvious fact: Ukrainian music in the 1970s sounded professional, high-quality, and stylish.
We are very proud that our acquaintance with the band’s musicians, particularly Volodymyr Vasyliev and Viktor Morozov, made it possible to bring this release to life exactly as it is.
We thank our colleague Oleksandr Zakrevskyi for the idea behind this project, as well as for the restoration of the audio recordings and visual materials.
A classic form for a classic! Through our work, we aim to introduce a culture of proper, high-quality vinyl reissues into the Ukrainian music scene, guided by global standards. So... Frame-by-frame restoration of the sound digitized from magnetic tapes, original design, and an authorized track list—this is just the beginning.
