IF

Associated with the Dakh Theater, an independently-run theater in Kyiv, members of this collective of seven women are involved not only in this but in other ethno projects of musical resistance against contemporary conflict and politics. The ladies here aren't aiming for subtlety, using the voice of the avant-garde to express a uniquely Ukrainian form of political activism. All dolled up in striking, white-face cabaret makeup, the artists tackle multiple instruments, multiple texts, and multiple languages to create their vision of what art can do to save the world: remind us that the old bohemian ideals of love, beauty, and freedom are things worth fighting for (of course) but also worth expressing fearlessly.

As a side note, this album has a special place in my heart because it was exactly the 10,000th album I'd heard in my listening life journey.