This album was created between 2023 and 2026. It is the work of a single individual who was serving a sentence in a maximum-security penal colony from 2021 to 2026 (or "in the zone," as we say in Russia). This music represents the most honest and sincere work I could produce under those circumstances; I strove to create something that would remain listenable for years to come. The entire process —recording, mixing, and mastering — was carried out by me right there in the colony, without any further refinement after my release. It was important to me to complete the work there, on my own, to preserve the authenticity of the creative act and to place a symbolic full stop on that chapter of my life, allowing me to move forward. I cannot say exactly what this album is about, because any attempt to do so would essentially be a fabrication. Fundamentally, I was simply writing music; each individual song speaks for itself, carrying its own meaning and spirit. Yet, I can say that this album is imbued with my dreams—longings for things I could not attain under those circumstances. All the pain, cold, hope, light, and yearning for love that filled me are reflected in these songs. And, of course, I personally trace within it a parting from my old life, a questioning regarding my true self, and a reconnection with something greater than me. I will be happy if this music helps someone just as it helped me while I was creating it and going through a difficult time in my life. Love and take care of yourselves and your loved ones. From Russia with Love, despite everything, NARADA.
