The bassist of "Pyatlya", his 18-year-old son and the star of "Razbitaha Serca Patsana" — we tell you about the Belarusian-speaking band Prypiać, which presented its original "Kalykhanka"
The band, which features Timofey Savitsky, the former bass guitarist of "Pyatlya Prykhilnastsi" (Loop of Affection), and Dzianis Tarasenka, one of the leaders of "Razbitaha Serca Patsana" (Broken Heart of a Kid), made a name for itself on the alternative scene last year. And this whole show is led by Timofey's 18-year-old son, Kazimir Savitsky.
On the occasion of the release of their new single, we found out from Kazimir how he started speaking and writing songs in Belarusian in an originally Russian-speaking family, and also asked the band members about how their lineup was formed brick by brick and what each of them does outside of music.
Dzianis Tarasenka, Kazimir and Timofey Savitsky. Here and below — photos from the band's personal archive
How did Prypiać begin?
Although Kazimir dreamed of becoming a chemist in kindergarten, being born into a musician's family largely predetermined his future.
“My parents told me that as a three-year-old child, I used to walk around the apartment and hum the song 'Pyatlya Prykhilnastsi': 'Ulyayaa kosmasu' (Oh-la-la, cosmos). Well, from a young age until recently, I attended 'Pyatlya' concerts — the environment I grew up in fostered my passion for music and post-punk in particular.”
“Post-punk is the music of sad people, it’s close to our nation,” adds Timofey. “In the 90s, we all listened to 'Kino', The Cure, Joy Division, Sonic Youth, Pixies.”
However, initially, Savitsky Sr. himself was an avid metal fan.
“You know – the street, older guys with 'hedgehogs' on their heads, in black studded leather jackets, on 'Jawa' motorcycles with seats raised 45 degrees, and a boombox blasting some 'Balls to the wall, man!' — how could such 'bad boys' not impress a kid?
But when I first saw Therapy's 'Die Laughing' video on 'Vidzmo-Nevidzmo' with the wonderful Sergei Filimonov, I realized that this was exactly what reflected the reality around me, and I resonated perfectly with this music.”
Timofey says that his son started trying to write music from an early age. At the very beginning, it was rap.
“For him, of course, beats were needed. I was mastering the skill of writing instrumentals,” Kazimir recalls. “Moreover, I wrote not only for reciting lyrics but also for creating individual compositions in a style similar to jungle, easy listening, or something like that. At that time, I was heavily inspired by Bonobo's electronic music, I also admired Depeche Mode and listened closely to their instrumentals, trying to glean something new for myself. At a certain point, I got tired of instrumentals and took a break.”
Meanwhile, his mother bought Kazimir a ukulele. His father's bass was always at hand, and so for some time, the boy disappeared into his room with new instruments.
“And then Kazimir brought me his first songs, 'Matyli' (Butterflies) and 'Medikament' (Medicine),” Timofey recalls. “Of course, I don't want to boast, but after 30 years in music, I've become a decent geological prospector. I can spot an uncut diamond in a pile of rocks without fail. I immediately told my son that people should hear this!”
That's exactly how Prypiać began. The first demos were sent to Dzianis Tarasenka, whom Timofey had known since school.
“The guys sent me a few songs to listen to, asking if I'd be interested in joining. Those demos had something of early Tsoi. Both youthful naivety and a certain depth simultaneously. I suddenly felt as if I myself were just starting my musical journey. Naturally, I agreed,” says the leader of "Razbitaha Serca Patsana".
During a performance at the LTCŃ picnic
The source of all Prypiać songs are works written by Kazimir himself.
“After an idea is born, it all looks like this: I record the guitar, lay down drums in FL Studio, write lyrics in the process, record vocals (sometimes even bass guitar). This way, I get the basis for the material, which I show to Timokha and Dzyonya. And then we work as a team. Taking their suggestions into account, I might later add or rewrite something.”
"I realized that after seven grades of Belarusian school, I didn't know how to say 'hello' in Belarusian"
In the Savitsky family, the events of 2020 accelerated the transition to the Belarusian language. Kazimir lived a normal teenage life, but then his parents had to emigrate to Poland.
“From childhood, I had to gradually emerge, I started looking around,” recalls the leader of "Prypiać" about those events. “After some time, I came to the realization that, since I am Belarusian, my language is Belarusian – everything is logical and self-evident. But with some surprise, I realized that after seven grades of Belarusian school, I didn't know how to say 'hello' in Belarusian.”
Then I began to actively improve my Belarusian: I subscribed to educational channels and bloggers, started reading Belarusian-language poems, prose, dictionaries online, listened to patriotic, folk, and modern songs (for example, Pahonya, the BNR anthem, Danchyk's "Ruchniki", N.R.M and Deviation). I understood that learning wouldn't be easy, as there was no hypothetical Duolingo for those who wanted to speak Belarusian. But at the same time, it was clear that anything was possible.”
Thus, philology became one of Kazimir's hobbies.
“And by the way, I started writing poetry because I initially enjoyed reading it. Besides, writing them seemed quite 'niche'. That is, it was one of the means of learning and practicing the language in addition to self-expression.”
During a performance at the LTCŃ picnic
About the original "Kalykhanka" (Lullaby)
Kazimir assures that their "Kalykhanka" will appeal to all fans of indie-rock, post-punk, and enthusiasts of avant-garde lyrics.
Prypiać plans to continue releasing tracks one by one, aiming for regularity in this endeavor. An album is also in the works.
“But it's hard to give a specific date, because things don't always turn out the way we'd like. Including with finances for recording and mixing,” comments Kazimir.
Outside the band, the guy studies at a lyceum and plans to enroll in university for psychology or cultural studies. His father, meanwhile, does renovation work and enjoys fishing. And Dzianis Tarasenka works at a car service (he is a specialist in car painting and body repair) and performs with "Razbitaha Serca Patsana".