Etapp Kyle is readying his “Nolove” EP for release on March 20th via Ostgut Ton. Following up on his 2017 EP for the label, “Alpha,” the upcoming effort will be accompanied by a film and web exhibition. The project is focused on the electronic musician’s home region of Bukovina in Western Ukraine. In particular, the work centers around the cities of Kamianets-Podilskyi and Chernivtsi, underscoring an urban intersection of youth culture, fashion, and music with the area’s longstanding history of war, violence, and political turmoil.
Etapp Kyle’s “Nolove” project reminds us of just how geopolitically and culturally contested Bukovina has been through the years. Historically the region has been part of Moldova, the Habsburg Empire, the Russian Empire, Romania, the Soviet Union, and now Western Ukraine. And yet, Kyle’s cutting edge style also reveals the area’s youthful and forward-looking approach to culture.
The EP’s title cut soundtracks the trailer which you can view below. Directed by Kyle, the film finds him teaming up with friend and director of photography Yanosh Buzhnitsa. Searing imagery and intimate portraits provide an intriguing look into how religious and political turmoil have shaped the region’s resiliency. While upheaval and violence shadow the work, ultimately this trailer shows “Nolove” is a celebration of survival and community in its many contested forms.
