Progressive Dark Folk artist Marjana Semkina has announced the release her second solo LP “Sirin” on May 31, 2024 along with a Kickstarter campaign. She has also unveiled official music video for the new single “Pygmalion.” Watch the video through the YouTube player below:
Known for her work as the vocalist of prog duo Iamthemorning, 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 running through Sirin, directly inspired by the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has had a profound impact on the Russian musician.
On the album she comments:
“Sirin is a harbinger of bad luck and death from ancient Slavic mythology. If you meet Sirin bird it’s believed you’ll lose a battle or a big catastrophe will happen.
“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).
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.
“Sirin” is a full independent release, available to pre-order via Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/marjanasemkina/sirin
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
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
Guest musicians:
Jim Grey (Caligula’s Horse) / Vocals on “Anything But Sleep“
Mick Moss (Antimatter) / Vocals on “Death and the Maiden“
