Flëur
Flëur is a musical collective from the Ukrainian city of Odessa, being unique for the Ukrainian musical scene. The collective is based around the two original members and frontwomen Olga Pulatova (Ольга Пулатова) and Olena Voinarovska (Олена Войнаровська) who write the lyrics, perform vocals and previously wrote all the music. Although currently the whole collective takes part in making music and arrangements, lyrics are still written solely by Olena and Olga. Flëur's musical genre is hard to define as it combines many influences. Flëur originated as cooperation of the two singer-songwriters and the music still bears a tiny resemblance to the genre, yet from the very beginning it was in a way different from typical singer-songwriter music. First official releases also had a touch of neoclassic/ethereal music. Because of the difficulties with picking the right term for Flëur's music, the collective itself created the term "cardiowave" (which later gave title to an independent recording label from Odessa which was releasing some of Flëur's sideprojects), but when it comes to more usual terms Flëur usually gets labeled as dream pop. The texts of the label Prikosnovénie spoke of resemblance with Cocteau Twins, All about Eve and Bel Canto.[1]
Flëur | |
|---|---|
 Olena Voinarovska (left) and Olga Pulatova | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Odessa, Ukraine |
| Genres | baroque pop, folk music |
| Years active | 2000-2017 |
| Labels | Prikosnovénie, Paularis Music Group, Lavina Music, Nikitin recording company |
| Associated acts | Аэроплан Оля и Монстр М.Р.Ф. Amurekimuri Dust Heaven ТИМ ADDARAYA Inversus The Клюквинs |
| Members | Ольга Пулатова (Olga Pulatova), Олена Войнаровська (Olena Voinarovska), Олексій Ткачевський (Oleksiy Tkachevsky), Катерина Котельникова (Kateryna Kotelnykova), Анастасія Кузьміна (Anastasiya Kuzmina), Євгеній Чеботаренко (Yevheniy Chebotarenko) |
Band history
Flëur was formed by Olga Pulatova and Olena Voinarovska in Odessa in February 2000. In March 2000 flautist Yuliya Zemlyana joined them. According to an autobiographical story by Olga Pulatova, it was Yuliya who came up with "Flëur" as a title for their collective. On 17 March they had their first live concert in Odessa. During 2000 and 2001 they were joined by Kateryna Serbina (cello), Oleksiy Tkachevsky (drums), Vitaliy Didyk (contrabass) and Oleksiy Dovhaliov(keyboards).
The first official release was the CD "Touch" (which is English translation of "Прикосновение") released on the independent French label Prikosnovénie. Only the album's title was translated to English — all the lyrics and song titles in the CD's booklet are in Russian. One month later the Ukrainian edition of the album came out under the original title "Прикосновение". Two more releases followed on the Prikosnovénie label, but these were also the last ones on this label. After that Flëur was mostly released in CIS countries.
Currently Flëur has 7 officially released albums plus reissues of two early releases. The song "Шелкопряд" ("Silkworm") had the first place in "Chart Dozen" hit-parade of Russian radio Nashe Radio — Flëur was awarded the "Chart crack" prize as best new band of 2007.
From their Flëur's popularity has been slowly but steadily growing. Besides live performances in their hometown of Odessa and Ukraine's Kiev, the collective has been touring extensively in Russia in recent years (2007–2012), including many live performances in Moscow which presented them with a full house.
Flëur has also performed live on radio several times, had a TV slot for the song "Искупление" ("Redemption") on the Ukrainian music TV-channel M1 (video directed by Yevhen Tymokhin (Євген Тимохін), musical arrangement made by Pavlo Shevchuk (Павло Шевчук) — the producer of Mumiy Troll band).[2]
New album called "The Awakening"[3] came out in spring 2012.
Side Projects
Many current and former band members also participated in other musical projects.
- Ольга Пулатова (Olga Pulatova) was a vocalist on the projects "Аэроплан" ("Airplane") and "Оля и Монстр" ("Olya and The Monster") (both defunct now), and cooperated closely with the project "Dust Heaven".
- Олена Войнаровська (Olena Voinarovska), Олексій Ткачевський (Oleksiy Tkachevsky), former Flëur member Олексій Довгалєв (Oleksiy Dovhaliev), Катерина Котельникова (Kateryna Kotelnykova) and Анастасія Кузьміна (Anastasiya Kuzmina) took part in the projects "М.Р.Ф" ("Мой розовый фашистик", "My Little Pink Fascist") and the English language project "Amurekimuri".
- Олексій Довгальов (Oleksiy Dovhaliov) also has his own project "The Клюквінs" ("The Klukwins", «klukwa» means cranberry in Russian).
- Алла Лужецька (Alla Luzhetska) and Анастасія Кузьміна (Anastasiya Kuzmina) take part in the project "ТИМ" ("Тайный Институт Мозга", "Secret Brain Institute").
- Former Flёur member Юлія Земляна (Yulia Zemlyana) takes part in the projects "Аддарая" ("Addaraya") and "Inversus".
- Євгеній Чеботаренко (Yevheniy Chebotarenko) has his own group "My Personal Murderer".
Members
- Ольга Пулатова (Olga Pulatova) — piano, vocals
- Олена Войнаровська (Olena Voinarovska) — guitar, vocals
- Олексій Ткачевський (Oleksiy Tkachevsky) — drums
- Катерина Котельникова (Kateryna Kotelnykova) — keyboards
- Анастасія Кузьміна (Anastasiya Kuzmina) — violin
- Євгеній Чеботаренко (Yevgeniy Chebotarenko) — bass guitar
Former members
- Юлія Земляна (Yulia Zemlyana) — flute
- Катерина Сербіна (Kateryna Serbina) — cello
- Олексій Довгальов (Oleksiy Dovhaliov) — keyboards, acoustic guitar
- Віталій Дідик (Vitaliy Didyk) — contrabass, bass guitar
- Олександра Дідик (Aleksandra Didyk) — cello
- Алла Лужецька (Alla Luzhetska) — flute
- Владислав Міцовський (Vladyslav Mitsovsky) — percussion
- Георгій Матвіїв (Georgiy Matviyiv) — bandura
Session Members
- Володимир Нессі (Volodymyr Nessi) — bass guitar
- Андрій Басов (Andriy Basov) — electric guitar
- Alex Kozmidi — electric guitar, bass guitar
- Георгій Матвіїв (Georgiy Matviyiv)
Discography
Albums, released in Russia and Ukraine
- 2002 — Прикосновение ("Soft Touch")
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Интро" | 0:35 |
| 2. | "Синие тени" | 4:36 |
| 3. | "На обратной стороне луны" | 3:38 |
| 4. | "Укол" | 4:12 |
| 5. | "Это всё для тебя, танцующий Бог" | 5:35 |
| 6. | "Печальный клоун" | 4:05 |
| 7. | "Карусель" | 6:31 |
| 8. | "На мягких лапах" | 3:46 |
| 9. | "Колыбельная для Солнца" | 4:56 |
| 10. | "Сердце" | 4:11 |
| 11. | "Золотые воды Ганга" | 5:51 |
| 12. | "Уходи, Февраль!" | 3:50 |
| 13. | "Как всё уходит" | 4:44 |
- 2003 — Волшебство ("Magic")
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Интро" | 0:49 |
| 2. | "Пустота" | 3:51 |
| 3. | "Почти реально" | 5:09 |
| 4. | "Формалин" | 4:03 |
| 5. | "Печальный клоун" | 5:00 |
| 6. | "Когда ты грустишь" | 3:22 |
| 7. | "Баллада о белых крыльях и алых лепестках" | 5:29 |
| 8. | "Ремонт" | 4:01 |
| 9. | "Медальон" | 4:36 |
| 10. | "Я сделаю это" | 5:07 |
| 11. | "Никогда" | 4:29 |
| 12. | "Струна" | 5:37 |
| 13. | "Русская рулетка" | 5:33 |
| 14. | "Легион" | 4:57 |
| 15. | "Горизонт" | 4:22 |
- 2004 — Сияние ("Shining")
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Интро" | 0:37 |
| 2. | "Кокон" | 4:42 |
| 3. | "Зафиксировать вечность" | 4:24 |
| 4. | "Небо хочет упасть" | 3:43 |
| 5. | "Сияние" | 5:03 |
| 6. | "Будь моим смыслом" | 5:22 |
| 7. | "Взрывная волна" | 3:31 |
| 8. | "Сладость" | 6:19 |
| 9. | "Ты не можешь мне запретить" | 6:16 |
| 10. | "Кто-то" | 4:33 |
| 11. | "Друг, который никогда не предаст" | 3:29 |
| 12. | "Музыка странного сна" | 5:16 |
| 13. | "Над водопадом" | 4:32 |
| 14. | "Тайна" | 4:09 |
| 15. | "Мост над туманным заливом" | 5:22 |
- 2006 — Всё вышло из-под контроля ("Everything is out of control")
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Шелкопряд" | 5:03 |
| 2. | "Рай на полчаса (Radio Edit)" | 3:59 |
| 3. | "Пепел" | 4:43 |
| 4. | "Память" | 5:33 |
| 5. | "Искупление (Radio Edit)" | 3:28 |
| 6. | "Опьянённые нежностью" | 4:55 |
| 7. | "Улыбки сфинксов" | 5:59 |
| 8. | "Эволюция. Тщетность" | 6:52 |
| 9. | "Люди, попавшие в шторм" | 5:51 |
| 10. | "Я всё ещё здесь" | 4:53 |
| 11. | "Сегодня" | 4:17 |
| 12. | "Тёплые воды" | 5:31 |
| 13. | "Всё вышло из-под контроля" | 4:03 |
| 14. | "Для того, кто умел верить" | 5:42 |
- 2008 — Эйфория ("Euphoria")
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Интро" | 0:36 |
| 2. | "Волна" | 3:34 |
| 3. | "Отречение" | 4:17 |
| 4. | "Новое матное слово" | 5:08 |
| 5. | "Исполинские чёрные грифы" | 3:20 |
| 6. | "Тёплые коты" | 4:13 |
| 7. | "Эйфория" | 5:24 |
| 8. | "Никто не должен прийти" | 5:13 |
| 9. | "Два облака" | 5:17 |
| 10. | "Ресница" | 4:02 |
| 11. | "...и Солнце встаёт над руинами" | 5:18 |
| 12. | "Река времён" | 4:35 |
| 13. | "Коралловые небеса" | 3:47 |
| 14. | "Мечты" | 4:31 |
| 15. | "Мы никогда не умрём" | 4:14 |
- 2008 — Почти живой ("Almost alive") and Сердце ("Heart") — reissue of unofficial releases from the years 2000–2001
"Почти живой"
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Синие тени" | 4:21 |
| 2. | "Печальный клоун" | 4:22 |
| 3. | "Золотые воды Ганга" | 5:21 |
| 4. | "Маленькие феи" | 3:43 |
| 5. | "Рай на полчаса" | 4:28 |
| 6. | "Уходи, февраль!" | 4:02 |
| 7. | "Экзорцизм" | 4:05 |
| 8. | "Обескровленная Мэри" | 6:15 |
| 9. | "Сердце мира" | 5:22 |
| 10. | "Никогда" | 4:40 |
"Сердце"
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Печальный клоун" | 4:24 |
| 2. | "Зафиксировать вечность" | 4:46 |
| 3. | "Осеннее равноденствие" | 3:45 |
| 4. | "Это все для тебя, Танцующий Бог" | 5:03 |
| 5. | "Маленькие феи" | 3:03 |
| 6. | "Настоящее что-нибудь" | 3:02 |
| 7. | "Сны в раскаленной пустыне" | 5:18 |
| 8. | "Опасная бритва" | 3:58 |
| 9. | "Струна" | 5:53 |
| 10. | "Сердце" | 3:58 |
| 11. | "Как все уходит" | 4:26 |
- 2010 — Тысяча светлых ангелов ("Thousands of bright angels")
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Интро" | 0:47 |
| 2. | "Зов маяка" | 4:27 |
| 3. | "Разбег" | 5:03 |
| 4. | "Человек 33 черты" | 6:55 |
| 5. | "Дирижабли" | 3:53 |
| 6. | "Да, это так" | 4:41 |
| 7. | "Расскажи мне о своей катастрофе" | 6:13 |
| 8. | "Розовый слон" | 5:06 |
| 9. | "Амулет" | 7:51 |
| 10. | "Камень" | 3:30 |
| 11. | "Качели" | 4:53 |
| 12. | "Летняя ночь, летящая в пустоте" | 7:02 |
| 13. | "Апрельское утро" | 5:00 |
| 14. | "Тёплая осень" | 3:33 |
| 15. | "Лунные лилии" | 6:06 |
| 16. | "Последний танец зимы" | 5:38 |
| 17. | "Непобедимая армия" | 5:27 |
- 2012 — Пробуждение ("Awakening")
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Интро" | 01:04 |
| 2. | "Живое" | 04:03 |
| 3. | "Тридцать семь" | 05:01 |
| 4. | "Шиповник" | 05:02 |
| 5. | "Это будет моим ответом" | 03:52 |
| 6. | "Великое ничто" | 06:07 |
| 7. | "Спасти" | 03:21 |
| 8. | "Вальсаутро" | 02:01 |
| 9. | "Vakna 1" | 1:36 |
| 10. | "Дикое сердце" | 03:42 |
| 11. | "Маятник вечности" | 06:48 |
| 12. | "Проповедники" | 06:44 |
| 13. | "Оборвалось" | 03:57 |
| 14. | "Vakna 2" | 3:08 |
| 15. | "Мир потерянных вещей" | 04:44 |
| 16. | "Спасибо" | 05:11 |
Albums released in France
- 2002 — Prikosnovenie ("Soft Touch")
French edition of "Прикосновение".
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | 0:35 |
| 2. | "Blue Shades" | 4:36 |
| 3. | "On the Dark Side of the Moon" | 3:38 |
| 4. | "Injection" | 4:12 |
| 5. | "Dancing God" | 5:35 |
| 6. | "A Sad Clown" | 4:05 |
| 7. | "Carrousel" | 6:31 |
| 8. | "By the Soft Paws" | 3:46 |
| 9. | "Lullaby for the Sun" | 4:56 |
| 10. | "The Heart" | 4:11 |
| 11. | "Golden Waters of Gang" | 5:51 |
| 12. | "February" | 3:50 |
| 13. | "Fadeaway" | 4:44 |
- 2003 — Volshebstvo ("Magic")
French edition of "Волшебство".
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | 0:49 |
| 2. | "The Emptiness" | 3:51 |
| 3. | "Almost Real" | 5:09 |
| 4. | "Formalin" | 4:03 |
| 5. | "The Ballad Of White Wings And Scarlet Petals" | 5:29 |
| 6. | "Repair" | 4:01 |
| 7. | "Medallion" | 4:36 |
| 8. | "I Will Do It" | 5:07 |
| 9. | "Never" | 4:29 |
| 10. | "The String" | 5:37 |
| 11. | "Russian Roulette" | 5:33 |
| 12. | "Legion" | 4:57 |
| 13. | "Horizon" | 4:22 |
- 2004 — Siyanie ("Shine")
French edition of "Сияние".
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | 0:37 |
| 2. | "Cocoon" | 4:42 |
| 3. | "To Fix the Eternity" | 4:24 |
| 4. | "The Sky Wants to Fall Down" | 3:43 |
| 5. | "Shining" | 5:03 |
| 6. | "Be My Sense" | 5:22 |
| 7. | "You Can't Forbid It to Me" | 6:16 |
| 8. | "Someone" | 4:33 |
| 9. | "Friend That Will Never Betray" | 3:29 |
| 10. | "Strange Dream Music" | 5:16 |
| 11. | "Over the Waterfall" | 4:32 |
| 12. | "Mystery" | 4:09 |
| 13. | "The Bridge over Misty Bay" | 5:22 |
Collections
- 2007 — Флёрография ("Fleurography")
- 2007 — Трилогия ("Trilogy"): "Прикосновение"/"Soft Touch", "Волшебство"/"Magic" and "Сияние"/"Shining"
- 2008 — Discography (all albums in MP3)
Singles
- 2007 (December) — Два Облака ("Two clouds")
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Два облака" | 4:39 |
| 2. | "Тёплые коты" | 4:13 |
| 3. | "Голубые мягкие пластинки (live)" | 3:53 |
| 4. | "Моральный ущерб (live)" | 3:46 |
Unofficial releases
- 2000 (July) — Почти живой ("Almost alive")
- 2001 (January) — Сердце ("Heart")
- 2001 (November) — Special Edition
External links
Official
- Official site (EN, RUS)
- Fleur info at Prikosnovénie label website (EN)
Fan resources
Interviews
- Interview with Olga Pulatova for Live174.ru (RUS)
- Exclusive interview with Fleur for ThyDoom.com music portal (RUS)
- Electronic version of Fleur interview for НАШ magazine
Other
- Fleur live news at KyivPost informational portal (EN)
- Fleur live in Moscow report at Unian informational agency website (UKR)
- Fleur Moscow tour sum-up at Vedomosti informational agency website (RUS)
- Fleur live stenogram and recording at Echo of Moscow radio (RUS)
- Fleur news at Nashe radio (RUS)
- Fleur info at Music.com.ua (RUS)
- Fleur info and album review at StarLife.ua (RUS)
- Fleur information at informational portal Today.od.ua (RUS)
- Fleur info at muslib.ru (RUS)
- Fleur live report at OfMusic.ru (RUS)
- Fleur info at Israeli rock club site (RUS)
- Electronic version of article about Fleur from Russian magazine "Пассаж" (Passage) (RUS)
- Fleur info and album review at Sumno.com (UKR)
- Fleur info at Rock.Kiev.ua (RUS)
- Fleur info at MoiKompas.ru (RUS)
- Fleur live reports at informational portal Pravda.mk.ua (RUS)
- Fleur info at Reakcia.ru (RUS)
- Fleur "Everything is out of control" review at Ozon.ru (RUS)
- Fleur album reviews and live reports at HeavyMusic.ru (RUS)
- Fleur @ Last.fm
References
- Flëur on Prikosnovenie
- "Information on Flëur "Redemption" video filming on M1 Ukrainian music TV channel site". Archived from the original on 2011-08-20. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-10. Retrieved 2012-01-14.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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