tAngerinecAt's NEW ALBUM is on it's way!
For a period of over a year, we've written and recorded a powerful, inspiring, unique, timely and socially significant new album called GRIEF.
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We’re proud to announce GRIEF as our seventh and most important album to date, following the incredible response we received for our globally celebrated previous album, GLASS. The latter opened the door to our first tour in Germany, France, Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Italy, Estonia, Lithuania, and Poland, while also enabling us to perform at larger venues across the UK.
Now, it's time to unveil something even more groundbreaking.
Our Journey and Impact
Founded in Ukraine and now residing in Wales, tAngerinecAt operates as a fully INDEPENDENT duo. We've never signed or released anything on a record label, and we never had a manager, nor booking agent. It allows us to make music that reflects our true artistic vision, without having to ask the "music industry" for their blessing and without having to fit in a certain genre niche. That also means we don’t have access to label funding, a lot of other grants, record advances, Spotify editorial playlists, media coverage, festival placements, record shop distribution, fair fees for our performances, or many of the mainstream ways to promote our work.
For more than a decade, we've rocked hundreds of performances, hitting up 13 countries, and establishing a passionate global community of fans. It’s all thanks to you, our incredible fans and supporters, that we can make everything happen.
Your support for this project is crucial for funding the independent release and promotion of GRIEF which we composed, recorded, produced and mixed by ourselves in our own studio. Join the resistance and help us to be heard by a wider audience creating a meaningful impact on culture and society.
Our strength lies in our diligent attention to detail and our commitment to refining our craft and skills. This dedication enables us to produce work that is not only original but also transcends the fleeting trends of fast fashion.
How did we get to where we are now?
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Zhenia (he/him): I was born into a Jewish Ukrainian family and grew up in a suburb of Kyiv during the Soviet era, where the arts became an integral part of my life. From a young age, I immersed myself in creativity, attending an art studio starting at three years old, writing poetry by six, and engaging in music, vocals, and acting by the age of ten. I taught myself to play the piano before taking private lessons for a year, during which I remarkably completed two levels in just twelve months. However, my family's financial struggles made it impossible to continue my lessons. Fortunately, I was accepted into a government-funded initiative designed for exceptionally talented children from low-income backgrounds, which provided me with the opportunity to receive musical training at a local music college. Through dedication and hard work, I completed a ten-year program in just five years.
Throughout this time, I engaged in numerous performances nationwide, appearing in philharmonic halls, theatres, on television, at festivals, in schools, and asylums. I took on the roles of composer, musician, singer-songwriter, and actor, with my poetry being published in regional press. Despite my family's lack of support and the abuse I faced, along with the burden of household chores that often led to missed school, they were pleased that I could provide financial support and food for our family, which was crucial.
My initial experience was rooted in pop music infused with jazz arrangements. I was part of a studio where I learned pop vocals, alongside formal academic vocal lessons. Later, I was drawn to rock music, performing as a rock singer-songwriter and with metal bands. During that period in Ukraine's independent scene, I was surrounded solely by male musicians, making it impossible for me to thrive despite my accomplishments.
At the age of 15, I began my journey at the Kyiv College of Culture and Art, where I graduated with honours. During my time there, I refined my abilities as a solo and orchestral musician, orchestra director, arranger, and concert organiser, while also pursuing lessons in vocal performance, acting, and stage speech. I explored various instruments, ranging from the Ukrainian bandura to the double bass, and earned national accolades as a singer-songwriter and poetry reciter. Following my studies, I took on the role of director for a theatre studio aimed at teenagers and served as the director and host for city-wide events. The 1990s were particularly challenging for Ukraine in the aftermath of the Soviet Union's collapse; I often received payment in bread, which was scarce, and faced severe hunger. To make ends meet, I juggled multiple jobs, living in a corridor and eventually resorting to strenuous labor that led to illness and homelessness.
I also was fascinated in Ukrainian folklore and, alongside Paul, embarked on folklore expeditions throughout the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains. In the early 2000s, I began composing music and performing with Paul. Our diverse influences led us to explore various genres and instruments, allowing us to tour extensively across Ukraine, the UK, and Russia until the onset of the invasion of Ukraine in 2014. In 2015, I left Ukraine due to the war and the persecution I faced as a political activist, subsequently creating music and touring in the UK. It was only after becoming a British citizen that I recently had the chance to tour in other European countries.
I am committed to furthering my knowledge in electronic music production, sound design, and mixing, as I believe electronic music serves as the perfect medium for me to showcase my diverse skills while maintaining complete control over my creative process and performances.
Despite facing significant challenges in life, including a lack of support, the aftermath of the Chornobyl disaster, poverty, and severe childhood trauma that have left me disabled and unable to hold a second job to support myself, I remain resilient. This resilience and unimaginably huge work on myself has profoundly influenced my art, infusing it with honesty, inspiration, hope, passion, and a sense of perseverance. My experiences resonate with a broad audience; as a survivor, I aim to uplift and inspire others who have endured hardships through my artistic expression.
I have stories to share that hold historical and human significance, addressing themes such as authoritarianism, migration, nepotism, capitalism, child abuse, poverty, ecocide, war, and the complexities of being queer and neurodivergent.
My experiences with an antisemitic and abusive stepfather compelled me to develop a deep-seated self-loathing. However, as I embark on my journey of recovery, I channel my emotions and experiences into my art, which serves as a powerful medium to challenge and oppose all manifestations of racism, ethnocentrism, and nationalism. Through my voice, I strive to resist and make an impact.
GRIEF encapsulates my personal journey during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, carrying a strong anti-war, anti-capitalist, and anti-ecocide message through the lens of Welsh nature, which has become my sanctuary.
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Paul (they/them): I hail from a small village in Cheshire, where my passion for music ignited during my school days as I learned to play the guitar. Over time, I expanded my skills by teaching myself to play the keyboard, though it has been quite some time since I last strummed a guitar. During my formative years, I was particularly drawn to the music of bands like the Doors and Pink Floyd. My professional music career took off in Ukraine, a country I first visited in 1995. During that visit, I met an elderly man who shared his harrowing memories of the famines imposed during Stalin's rule, which left a profound impact on me as I struggled to grasp the reality of such suffering.
My second trip in 1997 led to a 19-year stay. In the early days I worked in various orphanages and a cancer hospital, and also managed a coffee house and drop-in center. Zhenia was a colleague there, and that’s when we first began to collaborate musically. Additionally, I taught conversation classes at several English schools in Kyiv, where native speakers were in high demand. My musical development was significantly shaped by my partnership with Zhenia, as we formed a touring band in Ukraine before performing in the UK and eventually leaving Ukraine in 2015. I received vocal training and music theory lessons from Zhenia, who was far more experienced and academically trained than I was. This dynamic pushed me to work diligently to improve my skills, and I consider myself fortunate to have had such a remarkable opportunity.
My time spent in the Carpathian Mountains of Western Ukraine with Zhenia was transformative, as I had the opportunity to learn to play the Carpathian bagpipes from the last remaining artisan in the area. My fascination with the music of this region was profound, and its impact on me was undeniable. For those unfamiliar with this genre, it can be challenging to articulate its influence, but the experience was truly eye-opening and unlike anything I had encountered before. Together we immersed ourselves in the historical recordings of Ukrainian Kobzars.
While in the Carpathians, Zhenia and I encountered many elderly residents who had witnessed significant historical changes throughout their lives. These individuals possessed a wealth of stories, often filled with both tragedy and resilience, yet they continued to navigate their lives with remarkable fortitude. Their willingness to share their experiences left a lasting impression on me, highlighting the lessons we can glean from their narratives. In a world where history tends to repeat itself, the relevance of their stories feels particularly poignant today.
I have explored a variety of musical instruments over the years and have always been a firm believer in using every tool at my disposal to create music. As time has passed, we've progressively integrated electronic music and sound design into our artistic endeavours, enriching our creative process.
What We Need & What You Get
This crowdfunding campaign will help us to:
- Cover physical manufacturing costs (500 CDs & 500 vinyl records)
- Final mix at MWNCI studio, Wales (where we captured the live session of Ask Owl)
- Mastering by Latin Grammy-awarded audio engineer Andres Mayo, Argentina (he also mastered GLASS)
- Cover artwork by Turkish artist and activist Şahin Çetin. (His painting that inspired our most powerful song from GRIEF is the first photo on our crowd funding campaign page and is also the album artwork)
- Design by Stuart Woodward (Blast Factory), UK
- Printing of 200 album artwork t-shirts
- Invest in advertising, marketing, and PR. Almost all of you discovered us because of our social media marketing. As it’s the only tool we have access to as independent musicians, we aim to continue
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Here are some of the perks we offer in this campaign:
You will be one of the first people in the world to hear our new album.
You will also get access to:
signed CDs
signed black or green vinyl
ultra-rare art prints signed by tAngerinecAt
handwritten lyrics
t-shirts
creative consultations
signed test pressings
exclusive concerts
Risks & Challenges
The success of our campaign and your generous contributions are crucial for ensuring that 'GRIEF' reaches a wider audience. Even if we fall short of our fundraising target, you receive all your perks, and all the funds we collect will still be dedicated to supporting 'GRIEF'. While it may not be as spectacular as we envision, we are committed to making the most of what we have. If we raise more funds than our target, we will also be able to do some video production for at least one of the songs.
Other Ways You Can Help
You can help us by spreading the word and letting people know about our new album including sharing our posts on social media
Buy merchandise from tangerinecat.net
There are also Indiegogo share tools you can use! Every effort would mean the world to both us and our next album.
Thank you so much for your support!
Testimonials
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