"Der Hemshekh דער המשך ( eng: „the continuation” )" is an album fully inspired by and dedicated to invisible women’s biographies, stories and female sagas, sung and written by Maria Ka entirely in Yiddish. This Music material consists both of traditional Jewish songs, adapted to a woman’s perspective, and newly written Yiddish pieces immersed in contemporary context and current subjects.
The starting point of the whole story are already-existing lyrics of Jewish songs, in which the heroines are entangled in, both universal and characteristic of Yiddish pieces, narrative threads: autonomy and separation from an overprotective mother, seduction and poverty.
These fragments are then continued in pieces written contemporarily by Maria Ka. Their lyrics are the extension of biographies included in well-known Jewish songs, taking into account the chosen moments of woman’s course of life. Such lifeline and lyrical continuity gets filled and completed with modern sounds of vocals, keyboard, loopers, oboe and drums, forming the musical landscape of electronic, alternative, avantgarde and ethnic genre.
More universally, "Der Hemshekh דער המשך" is a manifesto of women’s visibility, presence, existence and participation in the public life, especially in its most important parts, both political and social. It is a call for the ultimate equality, regaining the lost fundamental laws ( especially in the context of Poland that was started with restricting already strict abortion law in January 2021 ), the fall of double standards and equalizing the existing disproportions.
Yiddish is a very important aspect of the whole, of currently written and composed songs in particular. It is a language rarely used nowadays for creating new artistic forms, and in general opinion might exist rather as an element of the past or some religious circles than contemporary Music pieces. Maria Ka restores its culture-forming function and presents a Music story about Jewish woman’s life - path: maturation, individual changes, emotions, breakthroughs and events dependent on history.
This whole process and album is a contribution to uncovering centuries-long-unseen, unnoticed and not commemorated woman’s experience, the one often omitted, not engraved in metal monuments, not transferred from generation to generation. "Der Hemshekh דער המשך" distinctively marks its presence in hitherto dominant patriarchal narrative and creates a new quality of telling Yiddish stories: modern, diverse and individually matched.
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Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
the first single and song of the ten - piece Yiddish album "Der Hemshekh דער המשך" containing five songs written by Maria Ka contemporarily in the language and five already existing Jewish pieces adapted to the female perspective.
the album is dedicated to and inspired by invisible women's biographies.
its recording took place during the period of women's mass protests in Poland in Fall 2020.
performed and recorded with the band.
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lyrics, composition, production, translations: Maria Ka
performance, arrangement:
vocals, keyboard, electronics: Maria Ka
oboe: Agnieszka Waśniewska
drums: Jacek Rezner
recording, mix, mastering: Marek Romanowski | Maro Records
base photo: Maria Ostrowska | OM jewellery design
edition & effects: Maria Ka
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"Gikhe trit גיכע טריט" ( eng. "Fast steps" ) is an anthem dedicated to progression, motion, Future and leaving behind fossilized structures ▪️ it is a radar pointed explicitly at equality, especially the one concerning gender ▪️ a sung call for letting the Planet blossom, together with making place for its natural rhythm, mild roughness and wildness wrapped in soft ragging ▪️ the general thought of this song cultivates progress and the focus on what's going to happen rather than on the past ▪️ it’s a description of constant motion and development, accompanied by the message of abandoning stiff, obsolete organizations that hamper progression and women’s full equality in public life ▪️ both Musically & linguistically immersed in futurism, avantgarde and in - version ▪️
fast steps
stand, don’t perch,
we have opened the door
every day
turns the way
don’t hesitate -
run with me
the light Sun
waits for us -
a new song’s
on my tongue
good bye -
farewell,
the development
spins further
Ref. it’s high time
for your greed,
black piousness
to disappear
high time -
your greed,
black piousness
disappear
Mother Earth
slowly, clearly
is reborn, regenerates
all money
in the whole world
is lost and stops
in wild trance
bodies dance…
mine has been
shining hence
I have place
for My Case -
without your assent
I play my game
Ref. it’s high time
for your greed,
black piousness
to disappear
high time -
your greed,
black piousness
disappear
***
Polish translation:
szybki chód,
nie siedź – stój,
przekroczyliśmy drzwi próg
każdego dnia
skręca droga
nie wahaj się -
biegnij ze mną
w dal
Słońca twarz
wyczekuje nas -
wyśpiewuję
nowy czas
bywaj zdrów,
żegnaj już -
rozwój wiruje,
sam pędzi przed nas
Ref. najwyższy czas,
żeby Twoja chciwość,
czarna religijność
w końcu znikła
najwyższy czas -
Twoja chciwość,
czarna religijność
po prostu znikła
Ona – Ziemia
wyraźnie, powoli
odradza się, podnosi
pieniądze na całym świecie
przemijają
zatrzymane przez powietrze.
w dzikim tańcu
pląsają ciała…
i tak błyszczę
od tamtej chwili cała
mam przestrzeń
na swoje „Jestem”
bez Twoich ocen
gram swoją grę
Ref. najwyższy czas,
żeby Twoja chciwość,
czarna religijność
w końcu znikła
najwyższy czas -
Twoja chciwość,
czarna religijność
po prostu znikła
credits
from Der Hemshekh דער המשך,
released April 20, 2023
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album’s recording was financially supported by the Self-Government of the Pomorskie Voivodeship within art scholarship '20;
the lyrics' translations were created within the Cultural Scholarship funded by the City of Gdańsk
supported by 4 fans who also own “Gikhe trit גיכע טריט”
One of my favourite musical discoveries in a while. These musicians are seriously talented. I can’t help imagining that there would have been a whole significant subculture of Yiddish psych rock like this in a different, kinder universe. For now, this is a window into that world that might have been. And I love every second of it. Audrey
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supported by 4 fans who also own “Gikhe trit גיכע טריט”
One of the best new albums of Yiddish and Klezmer music on Bandcamp in my opinion. The collaboration of two sensitive artists of different generations who know a lot about Yiddish and American music.
dcarkner
