Vedan Kolod: Gorodische

Vedan Kolod celebrated their 15th anniversary and have always pursued one major goal: to keep the centuries-old musical tradition of their homeland alive! With “Wild Games” (2020), the trio moved beyond its intense exploration of medieval sounds and returned to the spirit of their debut album “Tribes” from 2005, which explored the shamanic musical traditions of Siberia. “Gorodische,” however, still explores these medieval themes. Specifically, it focuses on the late Middle Ages. During the recordings, the band played primarily on medieval instruments. To this end, they scoured archives throughout Russia. The ensemble sings in Old Russian or Old Slavic and draws on myths and legends from their homeland for their lyrics. Translated from Old Russian, the band’s name means “prophetic tree.” “The tree connects the earth with the heavens, remembers our past, and knows the future,” say the three band members. For them, wooden instruments are also “storytellers.” Historically, making music on traditional instruments was closely linked to the rich vocal tradition.