Cossachka

"Cossachka" is an ambient audio-choreographic performance that explores the female gaze on war and crisis, created by an independent collective of female dancers, musicians, and visual artists from Ukraine. The music score, composed and performed by Kyiv-based Olena Shykina, extends the sonic experience of the live performance and is presented here as a standalone release.

Shykina’s composition unfolds from natural, delicate sounds that evoke the subtleties of femininity, gradually incorporating acoustic components like woodwinds and the Ukrainian bandura (performed by Volodymyr Voyt). As the score progresses, it delves into more experimental and textured territory, where organic sounds — such as processed bird calls from the Ukrainian steppe and ASMR-like textures — blend with minimal digital manipulation. This evolving soundscape traces the shifting, layered nuances of womanhood, with moments of introspective stillness giving way to grounded and rhythmic energy.

The project's name "Cossachka" evokes the legend of the women warriors, amazons, who once roamed the lands of modern Ukraine, marking their appearance by the braids they wore (cosy/kosy in Ukrainian).