Soyuz - Force Of The Wind (Indie Exclusive Clear Vinyl) Vinyl LP

Some records stop you in your tracks—instantly familiar, resonant like an old friend, even on first listen. SOYUZ’s third album, Force of the Wind, is one of those records. It captures the beauty, warmth, and eccentricity of classic Brazilian recordings from the 1960s and ’70s—evoking artists such as Milton Nascimento, Lô Borges, Burnier & Cartier, and Arthur Verocai—yet it is neither Brazilian nor archival. Instead, it is a wholly new work.

SOYUZ (meaning “union”) is a creative collective from Minsk, Belarus, led by composer, arranger, and vocalist Alex Chumak, alongside multi-instrumentalist Mikita Arlou and drummer Anton Nemahai. While the group’s previous albums explored and reimagined jazz-influenced, non–English-language pop traditions of the 20th century, Force of the Wind presents a more focused vision. Drawing deeply from 1970s Música Popular Brasileira, the album builds an imaginative bridge between Brazil’s musical past and contemporary Belarus.

Chumak has spoken of discovering Brazilian music as a form of concentrated emotion—something wordless and deeply familiar, reminiscent of childhood memories. That emotional immediacy carries through Force of the Wind, forging a connection between musician and listener that transcends language. The album features songs in Russian and Portuguese, alongside instrumental compositions, unified by a rich acoustic and electroacoustic palette: warm Rhodes piano, soaring string arrangements, and drums that feel both relaxed and impeccably tight.

Anchored by Chumak’s sublime vocals, the album includes guest appearances from multi-talented artist Kate NV and rising Brazilian star Sessa, with whom Chumak also collaborated on Sessa’s acclaimed 2022 album Estrela Acesa. The trio is further joined by an ensemble of close collaborators, including New York–based Turkish percussionist Cem Mısırlıoğlu, composer and arranger Simon Hanes on strings, and Netherlands-based Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Gabriel Milliet on flutes.

Together, they create nine songs and suites that are subtle yet expansive, abundant yet restrained—music that lingers and leaves you wanting more. Force of the Wind is an enigma: Brazilian yet not Brazilian, vintage yet contemporary, seemingly out of step with modern culture yet deeply relevant and necessary.