Ulyap: Songs Beyond Circassian Tradition

Creating a dialogue between past and present, Circassian history lives on in this visually and sonically enchanting project

Published with Ored Recordings .

Drawn from the village of Ulyap, this book and 2xLP vinyl preserve the musical and cultural heritage of the Circassian people, who were massacred almost to extinction by the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Rather than presenting Circassian music as a fixed, historical artifact, Ulyap frames it as a living, evolving practice. The book combines ethnographic essays, photo documentation, interviews and artwork, offering insight into the forms, meanings and social functions of Circassian music, while the vinyl captures performances, archival recordings and contemporary reinterpretations that extend the tradition into new sonic territories.