Andrii steps up for Ukraine Series mix...

Andrii is a Kiev-based DJ with years of experience behind him. A resident at the famed River Port club, he’s a founder of the SURE collective and is known for his vast and eclectic mix of rare records. Brought up by broken rhythms, his is a sound that’s always discerning - just as his mix for our Ukraine Series would suggest. Listen to that one here, and have a read of our conversation with Andrii below.

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Hi Andrii, thanks so much for taking the time to deliver a mix. Before the invasion, can you tell us a bit about your involvement in the Ukrainian scene?

Yes, of course. Back in 2016, I agreed to play at the River Port club in Kyiv, and this is when my journey began. From here, I became a resident and started to arrange my own parties. After some time, I realised that it is hard to manage it all alone; arranging parties is a very challenging process. And then the idea to create SURE came to mind. Together with my friend Elnur, I successfully launched it and developed it in Kyiv.

With this project we are now involved in the Berlin scene and have arranged parties here. We have already managed to invite many talented artists such as Giammarco Orsini, Riccardo, Domenico Rossa, TC80, Simi, Eliaz etc to take our place at the Kyiv party.

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How has the Ukrainian electronic music scene helped one another at the moment? Have you seen the best of the community shine through?

We are united and cannot but help each other regardless of the circumstances, but today all of us Ukrainians have one goal - to win and to rise proudly as a nation.

Are you hopeful for a time when the scene returns in Ukraine? Or is it more a case of taking things day-by-day?

Yes - I'm sure we will go through this nightmare with dignity and Ukraine will prosper again.

Has music been therapeutic for you?

Absolutely, yes.

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Similarly, have you returned to clubs yet? Can you tell us a bit about that experience?

Yes, sometimes we do parties to unload the brain and collect money to contribute to military needs. But the real reboot will only be after the victory.

Tell us a bit about the mix you’ve delivered for us, and the vibe you were going for.

Music is oxygen for me, so without being tied to genres and styles, timeframes, or new trends, I pursue a single goal - the next is to share something special and unique so that everyone remembers how they feel when they’re happy.

Keep up with Andrii on SoundCloud and Instagram

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