While they’ve remained relatively silent over the past six years, Theodor Bastard refuse to stay still. Amidst the shadows of the pandemic, war and invasive technology, the world music pioneers have been searching for a way out of the darkness that’s descended over our reality. The path that they discovered on their upcoming eighth studio album didn’t lead back to their home in the forest of Karelia, but away from it, into the coldness of the city, a collapsing civilization, and ultimately, rebirth.
Today, Theodor Bastard are announcing their new album ▽ (pronounced V) with a thrilling music video for its bewitching lead single. While it reconnects with their roots in electronic music, “Sverkay” is a sure sign that the band are bound for dark new horizons.
“This album might never have happened”, Theodor Bastard producer, multi-instrumentalist and founding member Fedor Svolotch says. “So much has surrounded us during recent years: the pandemic, war, division, fear, anxiety over technology, and a sense that reality itself is becoming darker and more unstable. We have felt so much anger, pain, confusion and disappointment both in ourselves and in the world around us. All these emotions were gathering inside us, changing, darkening, searching for a form, until they eventually transformed into the unexpected on ▽”.
Watch the music video for “Sverkay”:
The video for “Sverkay” was directed by Fedor Svolotch and stars Yana Veva. Theodor Bastard built the spaceship that appears in the video by hand. They also created the video’s practical and visual effects themselves. The concept for the spacesuit was created by Yana Veva and made by TomHem Studio.
Additional video credits
Screenwriters – Fedor Svolotch & Yana Veva
Director of Photography – Oleg Makoseev
Additional Camera – Vyacheslav Salikov
Film Editor – Fedor Svolotch
Gaffer & Assistant Director – Taras Frolov
Storyboard Artist – Yana Veva
Spacesuit Concept Art – Yana Veva
Spacesuit Fabrication – TomHem Studio
Spaceship Control Panel Fabrication – Andy Vladych
Spaceship Cockpit Concept – Alexey Kalinovskiy
Set Design and Construction – Alexey Kalinovskiy & Kusas
Props Master – Alexey Kalinovskiy
Practical Effects – Alexey Kalinovskiy & Kusas
Visual Effects – Maria Starostina & Fedor Svolotch
Colorist – Vyacheslav Salikov
▽ comes out November 13, 2026 on Season of Mist.
Pre-order: https://orcd.co/theodorbastardv
Pre-save on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/0K4F1n6atFEiEO5Y9N9v8y
▽ reflects just how much has changed since the world last heard from Theodor Bastard in April 2020. While the band are still recognized internationally for blending ritual folk, electronics and world music, on their new album, they’ve re-embraced their early electronic impulses because that’s now how modern life feels: cold, sharp, tense.
“Our sound changed because the world changed”, Svolotch explains. “We had to destroy our own habits and expectations to make ▽. We wanted to start again, as if the band has no past, no safe place, no ready-made formula. As a result, this album is not a continuation of what came before. It’s a different door”.
Long-time fans of Theodor Bastard were pleasantly surprised late last year when the pulse-pounding analog synths of “Nebo” first appeared in the award-winning Russian crime drama The Method. But the latest single from
▽ is a giant leap from the softer, more earthly textures of the band’s recent studio ventures. Like a spaceship, “Sverkay” rumbles with distorted bass before it’s suspended high above the earth by a trap-like beat.
“Вдох – выдох (Inhale – Exhale)”, sings bewitching vocalist Yana Veva as she glimpses what’s to come from our dangerous endgame with war, technology and social division.
“I know people probably expected another Northern ethnic album from us”, Svolotch says. “Oftentimes, once bands find their niche, they stay there. But this has never been our path and now is not the time for beautiful genre obedience.
“▽ represents our vision of what’s going on in the world today” he continues. “Instead of flights into space, instead of discovering the vast mysterious inside ourselves, once again, humanity is busy destroying itself. This album is our attempt to find a way out of that cycle, to understand what is happening, and to feel for some kind of perspective”.
Tracklist
1. Molnii i Svist (00:48)
2. Vedma (4:24)
3. Nebo (4:33)
4. Kaplya Rosi (2:46)
5. Zveroboy (6:16)
6. Dusha (4:33)
7. Ditya (5:42)
8. Ostavlyaem (3:45)
9. Sverkay (3:25)
10. Vremya (4:36)
Theodor Bastard refuse to stay still. In the years since their last studio venture, 2020’s Volch’ya Yagoda, the world music pioneers were searching for a way out of the darkness that’s descended over our reality. The path that they discovered didn’t lead back to their home in the harsh northern forest region of Karelia but away from it, into the coldness of the city and a collapsing civilization. By reconnecting with their electronic roots, Theodor Bastard are reborn on ▽.
“Our sound changed because the world changed”, producer, multi-instrumentalist and founding member Fedor Svolotch says. “We had to destroy our own habits and expectations to make ▽. We wanted to start again, as if the band has no past, no safe place, no ready-made formula. As a result, this album is not a continuation of what came before. It’s a different door”.
Svolotch founded Theodor Bastard in 1995. What started as a solo project grew during the 2000s into what’s now a seven-member band that includes vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Yana Veva, keyboardist Alexey Kalinovskiy, drummer Andy Vladich, vocalist Ekaterina Dolmatova, percussionist Kusas and cellist Vyacheslav Salikov. Blending the lines between ritual folk, electronic and world music has gained them international recognition. They’ve toured and performed at major festivals across Europe, including Fusion, Castlefest and Dark Bombastic Evening.
With eight studio albums, three video game soundtracks, two live albums, a compilation of remixes and syncs in major films and television shows, Theodor Bastard have also received international acclaim. The band have won a Russian World Music Award, a Golden Gargoyle, an International Acoustic Music Award and multiple LIT Music Awards. Their previous album, 2020’s Volch’ya Yagoda, won the St. Petersburg Best Album award in the Mood category. Its take on the Russian lullaby “Volchok” was a finalist in the World category for the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
“[…] their music comes directly from heaven”, Essentially Pop wrote in praise of the album’s single “Les”.
Folk N Rock agreed. “[…] a well-crafted album and deserves a listen if you are a fan of folk or trip-hop electronic music”.
“Theodor Bastard’s prolific catalogue of music is only getting better with age and experience”, wrote Indie Pulse Music.
▽ reflects just how much has changed since the world last heard from Theodor Bastard. While still widely recognized internationally as leaders for ritual folk and world music, the band have re-embraced their early electronic impulses. Long-time fans were pleasantly surprised when the pulse-pounding analog synths of “Nebo” first appeared in the award-winning Russian crime drama The Method. “We did not want to make another comfortable northern ethnic album just because that’s what some people might expect from us”, Svolotch says. “▽ is electronic, nervous, physical and wounded because this is how the world feels now”.
The album’s lead single is a sure sign that Theodor Bastard are bound for dark new horizons. Like a space shuttle, “Sverkay” rumbles with distorted bass before it’s suspended high above the earth by a trap-like beat. “Вдох – выдох (Inhale – Exhale)”, sings a bewitching Veva as she glimpses what’s to come from our dangerous endgame with war, technology and social division.
“This is not the time for beautiful genre obedience”, Svolotch says. “The world is full of violence, exhaustion, stupidity and fear. Instead of flights into space, instead of discovering the inner abysses within ourselves, humanity is once again busy with destruction, cruelty and self-hypnosis”.
To a world that’s mired in its own deadly trance, ▽ arrives like a much-needed slap across the face. The album was created during a long and trying period for Theodor Bastard. It offers little comfort; its anger, confusion and disappointment are hurled at the outside world, which through our own actions, is tipping over the edge. The aggressive “Vedma” surges with black cosmic energy, as if summoning the apocalypse. “Ditya” questions the nature of our creation amidst a hybrid of electronic dance music, gospel and the blues. But the band aren’t without hope. At their core, the ritual spirit remains. “Ostavlyaem” dances as light as a feather, only to transcend this earth for a place amongst the stars.
“Across ▽, darkwave, indietronica, post-punk and neo-psychedelia are not used as genre references. They are fused into a single world, where ritual presence and the physicality of live sound coexist”, Svolotch concludes. “It is unmistakably Theodor Bastard, but in a state of renewal, where the band’s recognizable identity becomes a starting point for transformation rather than a limit”.
With ▽, Theodor Bastard return with dark electronics for dark times.
Recording Lineup
Yana Veva – Vocals, Lyrics, Vocal arrangements, Synthesizers, Keyboards
Fedor Svolotch – Arrangements, Guitars, Bass guitar, Synthesizers, Analog synthesizers, Keyboards, Drum programming, Sound design, Sound production, Mixing
Christine Kazarian – Harp
Vyacheslav Salikov – Cello / Strings
Kusas – Percussion, Bells, Metallophone, Marimba, Jaw harp
Ekaterina Dolmatova – Backing vocals
Eli H – Bass guitar
Alexey Kalinovskiy – Keyboards, Synthesizer, Lap slide guitar
Vyacheslav Nikiforov – Drums
Sergey Smirnov – Drums
Maria Starostina – Flute, Backing vocals
Maxim Kostyunin – Guitar
Gale Dorothy – Vocals on Molnii i Svist
Current Lineup
Yana Veva – Vocals
Fedor Svolotch – Sound, Guitar, Electronics
Andy Vladich – Drums
Alexey Kalinovskiy – Keyboards
Kusas – Percussion
Vyacheslav Salikov – Cello
Ekaterina Dolmatova – Backing vocals
Production Credits
Producer – Fedor Svolotch
Sound Engineer – Fedor Svolotch
Mixing Engineer – Fedor Svolotch
Mastering Engineer – Boris Istomin
Recording Studio – Theo Records
Mastering Studio – Knob Studio
Cover Artwork
Fedor Svolotch
Artwork / Layout Designer
Yana Veva & Fedor Svolotch
Follow Theodor Bastard
Website: https://theodorbastard.com/
Bandcamp: https://theodorbastard.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2PQ9UX4kWDE3mf2fYGRzqF
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/theodor-bastard/204585292
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theodorbastard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheodorBastard/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theodor_bastard/?hl=en
