Kedr Livanskiy Debuts 'Anna' Single From New Album

Musician/producer, Kedr Livanskiy (Yana Kedrina) is set to release a new album on March 7. On her fourth studio album Myrtus Myth, she draws on mythologies both public and personal to craft an expansive experimental pop album and Dante-esque journey through the self. 

The album’s lead single “Anna”, available now, is the emotional core of Myrtus Myth, a stunning and deeply personal ode to a lost friend. Rooted in the mythology and expansive storytelling that defines Kedr’s forthcoming album, the track stands out – pairing lush ‘70s-inspired melodies with live drums and strings to craft a pop song that feels both timeless and otherworldly.

Drawing from the album's broader themes of grief, transformation, and myth-making, “Anna” is shrouded in a hazy echo, with Kedr’s soaring vocals channeling both vulnerability and strength. The influence of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’ is unmistakable, but as always, Kedr’s experimental touch—shaped by her collaboration with producer Flaty—elevates the track into something uniquely her own.

Amid Myrtus Myth’s hero’s journey narrative, “Anna” offers a poignant moment of reflection, seamlessly blending the personal with the universal. It’s a haunting yet hopeful reminder of the connections we carry, even in the face of loss.

There’s always been an element of esotericism to Kedr’s music, from the slow-burning choral synths that anchored her debut EP January Sun to the delicate strings and churchlike harmonies of 2021’s Liminal Soul. Even her clubbier releases, 2019’s Your Need and 2023’s K-Notes, depict mysterious forests, enveloping clouds, and foreboding winters. Of all her discography, though, Myrtus Myth seems to gesture most directly towards Ariadna, her far-reaching but understated first album, wherein she fused William Blake poetry with skittering lo-fi techno and minimalist ambient soundscapes. The same reverberating synths, echoing vocals and innovative song structure that punctuated Ariadna fuel Myrtus Myth, but this time the scope has broadened. This is due in part to the work of producer and visual artist Flaty, known for his experimental, futuristic releases. Though he and Kedr have worked together frequently (both as co-producers on Your Need and in their band, Kosaya Gora), Myrtus Myth represents a deeper collaboration, with Flaty producing and writing the entire record for the first time. Together, the two artists transcend dance structure completely, incorporating live instruments and new vocal techniques to bridge influences from vaporwave to Kate Bush to Phil Collins. 

Though stylistically diverse, Myrtus Myth comes together through the narrative structure of Livanskiy’s storytelling. Written in her native Russian, her lyricism is at its most immersive on this album, a hero’s journey recounted over 11 tracks. It can be hard to orient oneself within Myrtus Myth, where sounds flicker from distant rooms and history seems to collapse into itself. But it’s precisely this feeling of disorientation that allows Livanskiy to realize her project.

“The last couple of years have been incredibly difficult for many people on earth,” Kedr explains. “This album is a reflection on painful topics through the prism of the mythical, dreamlike and otherworldly.” 

Despite its narrative conclusion, it would be a mistake to read Myrtus Myth as a tragedy. It’s an album that gestures outward: by weaving together far-reaching and fantastical elements, Kedr seeks to tell a story that’s familiar for its stark humanity. The imagined hero’s city has been lost, but it’s just a myth after all. It’s us who are real, and we have time. 

Photo credit: Paizuka Komarov

To post a comment, you must register and login.