UMMAGMA en MiRollo

Ummagma – a Canadian-Ukrainian duo comprised of Alexander Kretov and Shauna McLarnon – deliver richly layered soundscapes and mesmerizing vocals. Ummagma’s eclectic yet harmonious potpourri of alt pop, dreampop, post-rock, post-punk, ambient/ethereal, shoegaze and space rock brings sublime resonance, beats and rhythm to create a virtual dream pop rock haven. McLarnon’s delicate airy gossamer-like vocals often draw comparisons to Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins fame with glimmers of Stereolab, The Sundays, SPC ECO, Nathalie Merchant and Slowdive.  Kretov's spellbinding potion of guitar, vocals, synths, beats, programming & effects create an impeccable Floydish Eno- and Fripp-laced soundscape that helps the listener take flight.

Alexx handles composition, all instruments, arrangement and vocals, as well as recording, mixing, mastering and video production, while Shauna McLarnon deals with vocals, composition, lyrics and band management. For Alexx, making music began in childhood in the recently free post-Soviet Ukraine. Shauna’s songwriting experience began with solo compositions while studying in Russia's Siberia and Moscow and living in northern Canada. Sasha is originally from Kremenets, a town in western Ukraine, and Shauna is from Whitehorse, Yukon in northern Canada.  

Ummagma began in 2003 as an affair with love and sound in Moscow, where Alexx and Shauna were living. They met at an acoustic guitar concert, their relationship developing into a marriage and the musical partnership we know today as Ummagma. Until then, Shauna was mainly singing acapella and working with various Moscow musicians, while Alexx was a solo guitarist experimenting with home recording. Upon making music together, they set up a home studio, which they brought with them to Kiev during the Orange Revolution in 2004. With every move (Moscow-Kiev-western Ukraine-Yukon-western Ukraine), they continued to hone their musical and recording skills, upgrade their studio and record music. They currently live in western Ukraine with their daughter Nika, working in their studio, where Alexx also records and produces other artists’ work.

In July, Ummagma independently released 2 full-length LPs ("Ummagma" and "Antigravity") on Bandcamp. Despite the fact that their music encompasses several music genres, it has a common remarkable theme, elevating and stirring effect. Apart from the above groups, Ummagma is often likened to Blonde Redhead, Peter Gabriel, AIR, Sigur Ros, Arcade Fire, Pink Floyd, Michael Brook, Lush, Mercury Rev, Talk Talk, Snow Patrol, Exitmusic, Ultravox, Bowery Electric and M83, but listeners will find an unmistakable sound truly unique to Ummagma.

“Full kaleidoscope of sounds, harmonies and musical instruments… the result is massive with an intricate fabric” Rolling Stone Russia

“Ummagma is on an entirely different level. This is art.” The Record Stache

“A refined and multifaceted musical junket with a host of delightfully upbeat songs, and not one seems misplaced or expendable” The Sound of Confusion

“The loveliest, most seductive dreampop since Engineers… with a more eclectic, fluid musical approach” Pop Lifer

“Like The Sundays and Cocteau Twins might sound after dropping acid, jumping in a space ship and jamming together as they float through space and time” The VPME

“Puts you into that space between real life and your daydreams. It’s full of new wave magic” Dingus on Music

“These songs are garlands that irradiate great beauty…Ummagma is both Pop Art and Art Pop” AfterPop

“Sublime relaxing and soothing music… the perfect atmosphere for dreaming; a soundtrack of angels” The Blog That Celebrates Itself

“Glimmers like geniuses such as Bowery Electric, Brian Eno and Michael Brook, among others” Peru Avantgarde

“Ummagma's work recalls the adventurous and unified approach of much of the 4AD labels' late eighties/early nineties output” The Active Listener

UMMAGMA HIGHLIGHTS (since late July 2012)

2 debut albums tie as No3 Best Album of 2012 in After Pop Magazine

No3 Top Unsigned Artist of 2012 on Forkster Rocks It Out

No1 Unsigned Artist on Forkster Rocks It Out from July-Oct 2012

No3 Best Albums of 2012 in Peru Avantgarde

No4 and No5 Best Songs of 2012 according to Forkster Rocks It Out

Antigravity No6 top dreampop album of 2012 by Shoegazer Alive

Antigravity No20 top album of 2012 by Rock XS Radio

Antigravity No21 best album of 2012 by Sloucher Magazine

“Live and Let Die” among Top-10 videos of 2012 according to Twenty-goto-Ten

In the Scottish New Music Chart from Aug. to March 2013 (up to No3)

In NY’s Indie Darkroom Chart from July through April 2013 (now No2)

No1 indie alternative band for Ukraine in the Reverbnation charts

Band of the Month for September in the Indie Bands Blog

Nominee for CBC Radio Canada’s “Rookie of the Year” Bucky Award

Rolling Stone Russia full-page feature

140+ unique press posts on Ummagma in 20+ countries

Radio airplay in 30+ countries

Music featured on 19 compilations & 45+ mixtapes/podcasts

DOWNLOAD MUSIC    MUSIC VIDEOS

FACEBOOK   VKONTAKTE   REVERBNATION     SOUNDCLOUD    TWITTER     LAST FM

CBC RADIO     AMAZING RADIO

UMMAGMA’S VIDEO WORLD:

ROTATION    KIEV    BFD    LAMA    1+1=3    UPSURD   RISKY    LIVE AND LET DIE

HUMAN FACTOR     MICRO MACRO   TALK TO HER