DESCRIPTION
SOYUZ (СОЮЗ) stole our hearts in 2022 with their critically acclaimed album Force Of The Wind. Now, we’re thrilled to present its predecessor — their sophomore album from 2019, previously only available digitally and now receiving its first physical and fully remixed release.
Recorded during a transitional period for bandleader Alex Chumak, who had relocated from Minsk to Kyiv, II reflects the tension between change and nostalgia, captured across sessions at Studio 42 with bandmates Mikita Arlou and Stanislav Murashko. The album reveals the roots of the cinematic, jazz-imbued sound that would later define Force Of The Wind, while still brimming with the avant-psychedelic pop charm of earlier influences.
Musically, the album spans a wide spectrum of global inspirations: MPB, Ethio-Jazz, Italian library music, and soul-funk psychedelia. The opening track ‘Verocai’ nods to the Brazilian master, while ‘Mirouze’ pays tribute to both Jean-Pierre Mirouze and Milton Nascimento. The closer, ‘Nascimento’, bookends the album with another heartfelt homage to the great Brazilian composer.
Elsewhere, tracks like ‘Lyric’ and ‘Motive I’ showcase the beginnings of SOYUZ’s now-signature cinematic jazz-soul aesthetic — complete with lush strings, warm Rhodes, and Studer reel-to-reel tape textures. The shimmering ‘Business Partners’, featuring Inturist, channels krautrock and kosmische energy, while ‘Corrida’ offers a brief, Anatolian-tinged interlude.
‘Tezeta’, featuring Serbian rapper Petar Martic, blends hazy psychedelia and soul-funk, while ‘ES-2 Jazz’ leans into a raw, exploratory groove.
Remixed from the ground up by Ryan Power and remastered by Liam McLean (Joker), II now receives the treatment it truly deserves — a foundational chapter in the SOYUZ story, sounding better than ever.
TRACKLIST
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Verocai (Верокай)
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Tezeta (Тизита) feat. Petar Martic
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Motive I (Мотив I)
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Mirouze (Мируз)
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ES-2 Jazz (ЕС-2 Джаз)
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Lyric (Лирическая)
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Motive II (Мотив II)
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Business Partners (Партнеры по бизнесу) feat. Inturist
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Corrida (Коррида)
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Credit History (Кредитная история)
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Nascimento (Насименто)