Art-pop band Tvaryny (Ukrainian: Гурт Тварини) has released “Animal Instinct,” the first single from their upcoming EP Survival Instincts. Based in the frontline Ukrainian city of Sumy, the group describes this project as “the most anxious album of the year.” The single is out now on Bandcamp and will appear on streaming platforms July 15. A music video is also available on YouTube, where “wise animals telepathically give foolish humans advice on how to survive in this predatory world.”
The track began during a spontaneous jam session between Oleksii Lytvynenko and Anton Boldenko (of the DID project, currently serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces) at the Bondeni label’s studio. Lytvynenko instinctively found the fretless bass melody that would later drive the composition. Vocalist Kateryna Pavlovska contributed to the lyrics for this track, and the recording was mixed and mastered by Mykhailo Mitin, a sound engineer at the Sumy National Theater.
Tvaryny’s creative process is deeply rooted in their hometown of Sumy. Every aspect of the project — from writing and recording to visuals — is produced by people either from the city or closely connected to it. The cover artwork for “Animal Instinct” was drawn by Kyiv-based artist Diana Zhuk, who originally hails from Sumy. It’s a consistent approach that defines the band and their label, Bondeni.
As the group puts it, “If you truly want to dive headfirst into the vibe of the real heart of Slobozhanshchyna (sorry, Kharkiv — but size isn’t everything), listen to and support Tvaryny and other artists from the Sumy indie label Bondeni.”
The EP Survival Instincts is expected to arrive in August, but the release may be delayed indefinitely due to co-founder and band ideologist Ihor Kostyk joining the Armed Forces of Ukraine. “We wanted to start a nice tradition — releasing a mini-album right before my birthday,” he says. “But with military service, there’s been catastrophically little time for art, so things might go differently this year. Either way, new music is coming — because as our label’s motto says, ‘The Northeast makes hits!’ — and we’re not planning to stop!”
All the members of Tvaryny remain in Sumy despite the war. “This is our home,” they say. “Music is what helps us keep our mental health within reasonable limits. Sometimes, it’s hard to describe the emotional state in such circumstances with ordinary words — but we pour it all into our music and lyrics. Perhaps that’s why we’re still together and still passionate about this project.”
When asked whether being drafted or serving in the army has changed how the band operates, they answered simply: “The band was formed during the war, so it’s hard for us to say what has drastically changed. In reality, it is possible to live in a combat zone, even take part in the war, and still make music.”
To them, releasing music is not a luxury or even a career move — it’s necessity. “For us, music is an act of healing and resistance — something we simply cannot give up. Releasing new Ukrainian music now, in our opinion, is a duty for every musician from Ukraine. We must spread Ukrainian culture in the face of this genocide.”
The new EP may still be finished this year, depending on how things unfold. “It’s true that the release date for the new Tvaryny album is not yet set, though most of the material is already recorded,” they said. “The reason is obvious — the war. But there is a strong feeling, even confidence, that the album will come out this year.”
When asked what daily life looks like from their perspective — the human side behind the music — they point back to their shared creative space. “We record music in our own studio, which has become a cultural hub in Sumy and a meeting place for local musicians. Of course, living in these conditions changes your perception of reality — it makes people more fatalistic and desperate. This affects our band and label, our families and friends. The shifts in mental health experienced by everyone living in a war zone are hard to observe directly or analyze in real time. That’s the work of people watching from the outside — journalists and writers like yourself. There’s no more complete answer to your questions than the one we give through our music.”
Tvaryny is an experimental pop band telling stories from the animal perspective — part metaphor, part critique, and part spiritual resistance. They’re one of the core acts on Bondeni, an indie label operating entirely within Sumy. The label is committed to representing local voices and artists through original music and production. Even the band’s motto — “The Northeast makes hits!” — reflects that grounded commitment to place and to sound.
“Please add our new track to your playlist — and give the upcoming album a listen when it’s out,” they say. “All the answers are there.”
In June, Bandcamp Daily published a feature on Ukrainian (punk) rock, where another Bondeni label project — ZzuppamanN — was briefly mentioned.
The band commented on life in Sumy under constant threat — daily sirens, missile strikes, overcrowded hospitals, and the grim routine of funerals. Yet even in that context, local musicians continue to create, build, and release new music. As ZzuppamanN puts it, “there’s no point in postponing creative ideas when your chances of dying suddenly increase every day.”
That mindset — urgent, clear-eyed, and resistant — runs through everything at Bondeni, including Tvaryny’s latest.
