Tracks from the album “Exiled” are generated with guitar pedals, FX processors and synthesizers from the original tape recordings of Semeiskie folk songs. They do not strictly follow the recordings but rather reflect the spirit of old songs of exiled people who maintained their faith. Track names mark main cities and towns on the long way of Semeiskie from Europe to Siberia.

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Few years ago tapes with recordings of Semeiskie songs from ethnographic expeditions came to my hands. The Semeiskie are a community of orthodox Old Believers who have lived in the Transbaikal region in Siberia since the reign of Catherine the Great. The sacred rites and rituals of the Old Believers came to be in opposition to those of the official state church after the introduction of the 17th century religious reforms in Russia. Those who rejected the reforms became known as "Old Believers" and continued to practice their faith despite repressions. They endured severe persecutions from the end of the 17th century until the beginning of the 20th century as "Schismatics".

The Semeiskie were a particular group of Old Believers who settled in Wietka in Belarus (at that time part of Poland). In 1735-1795 more than 40 000 people from Semeiskie community were exiled to Siberia (Buryatia and Transbaikal region) on the pretext that they could there become farmers for the Cossack guards who defended the borders of the Russian Empire. Several thousands of them died because of hardship during the long journey to the distant lands. It is a severe punishment to be exiled from one's homeplace.

The descendants of these original Semeiskie have lived in Buryatia and Transbaikal region ever since. The Semeiskie have a long oral tradition, in speech as well as vocal music. The Semeiskie songs are notable for their polyphonic dissonance in both sacred and secular music. The themes of the songs vary widely, from religious texts to everyday songs. The cultural space and oral culture of the Semeiskie was placed on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2001.

Dmitry Demchenko: concept, sound design, DIY sound generators, guitar effect pedals, FX processors, synthesizers.

Recorded and mixed by Dmitry Demchenko at CENSOR MAGNUS STUDIO (Moscow). Cover design by Dmitry Demchenko. Background photo on the cover by Kazuyuki Kishino (KK NULL). Produced by Dmitry Demchenko. Released December 22, 2020.