СОЮЗ (SOYUZ) is a creative collective originally from Minsk, Belarus, now based in Warsaw, Poland. The band consists of composer, arranger and singer Alex Chumak and one of the key figures of the Belarusian underground scene Mikita Arlou, both musicians are multi-instrumen- talists and are producing their releases themselves. In Warsaw, they were recently joined by Polish drummer and producer Albert Karch. The name of the band is translated as “union”, which reflects the creative nature of the relationship between its members.
SOYUZ’s previous albums explored and reimagined the legacy of jazz-oriented, mostly non-English-language pop music of the 20th century with a crave for musical freedom. For their third album, released by the UK-based label Mr Bongo, there is a stronger focus influenced by Música popular Brasileira, building bridges from it to present-day Belarus. Alex notes that from the moment he first encountered Brazilian music, he found in it a kind of concentrated emotion that felt as if it were familiar to him from his childhood. This non-verbal emotion and connection between the listener and musician echoes in the music, regardless of understanding of the language the album is recorded in.

“Force of the Wind” includes songs sung in Russian and Portuguese as well as instrumental compositions. Its musical palette is both acoustic and electroacoustic: rich warm Rhodes piano, soaring string arrangements, and a controlled drum swagger sounding both relaxed yet super tight. Alongside Alex’s sublime vocals, that grace the majority of the tracks, the album features guest performances by multi-talented musician and vocalist Kate NV and rising Brazilian star, Sessa. Alex also recently arranged a number of tracks on Sessa’s praised 2022 album “Estrela Acesa”.

On the album, the trio is joined by a cast of friends; NY-based percussionist Cem Mısırlıoğlu, composer and arranger Simon Hanes, who aided with string arrangements and conducting the string players, Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Gabriel Milliet, on flutes. With the collaboration of these colleagues SOYUZ have created nine songs/suites that are subtle and plenitude and like the best albums, leave you aching for more.

The latest album has been presented at various international festivals such as Primavera Sound in Spain, XJAZZ and Überjazz in Germany, OFF Festival in Poland, ESNS and Wilde Weide in the Netherlands, Bad Bonn Kilbi in Switzerland, as well as solo concerts throughout Europe.
“Force of the Wind” was selected as one of the best albums of 2022 by Bandcamp and received airplay on BBC Radio 6, Worldwide FM, FIP, NTS Radio.

SOYUZ offers two new releases in 2024, the first being a lush orchestral theme entitled “Spring has sprung”, the fruit of a collaboration with iconic Indian singer Asha Puthli and renowned Swedish composer Sven Wunder, recorded exclusively for the “Mr Bongo Record Club Vol.7” compilation. The second release, a brand new single “Калі ты запытаеш (If You Ask)”, out on November 22 via Mr Bongo, is a dreamy, blissed-out pop production with a ‘70s AOR touch. It features Biel Basile (O Terno, Sessa) on drums & Anthony Ferraro (Toro Y Moi, Astronauts, etc.) on synths and is accompanied by a music video shot by a Brazilian visual artist Gabriel Rolim.

All artists involved are vocally anti-war. SOYUZ say “We do not in any way support the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops. We have been associated with the Ukrainian label Masterskaya for many years, and one of the members of the band lived in Kyiv when the war started. We condemn all forms of violence, especially when it comes to the deaths of civilians. What is happening there disturbs us to the core.”