Of Us by Ziferblat | EP Review

The debut English language EP from Ukraine’s representatives at Eurovision showcase their ability to blend genres at will.

In case you missed my 5000+ word deep dive into this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, I recently got obsessed with Eurovision to the point of becoming a mini-historian. Hence, I was so looking forward to my first time watching the competition play out in real time and, since I had listened to all the songs, I had strong opinions about who I wanted to do well.

I already enjoyed the Ukrainian entry, “Bird Of Pray” by the rock trio Ziferblat, but watching them perform turned me into a die-hard devotee. All three members performed incredibly, were dressed impeccably, and had insane musical chemistry. In particular, I couldn’t take my eyes off frontman Daniil Leshchynskyi, with his entrancing stage presence and stunning voice (and gorgeous face, because gay).

So when I learned the boys of Ziferblat recently released their first English language EP Of Us, I knew I had to give it a spin. While most of the seven songs stray from the eclectic sound of “Bird Of Pray” into the realm of pop-rock, Of Us showcases a band with a fully formed identity and strong musical sensibilities, no matter what they attempt.

Ziferblat kick things off with a fantastic piece of Japanese-style city pop, aptly named “City.” All three members of the band sound excellent playing in this style, the instrumental bursts forth with vibrant, neon colors, and Daniil’s voice soars over this chorus.

I also enjoy “Good Boy, Good Girl” which, despite its odd title, totally won my heart with its blend of 80s synthpop and dance-rock. The combination of energetic guitar solo and bright synth stabs in the outro particularly get me, I could listen to that for ten minutes straight.

They also include “Bird Of Pray” as the penultimate track, and this song is absolutely the star of this EP. With its mix of energetic indie rock, soaring balladry, and guitar-shredding riffery, as well as the inclusion of Ukrainian, it immediately stands out from the pack. I can’t help but be impressed with all the different musical ideas they fit into exactly three minutes.

The only song on the record that doesn’t fully land with me is the title track. Daniil sounds like he’s mightily straining the high notes of this song, and it lacks any ear-grabbing twist to make it stand out. I was very surprised to learn they considered using “Of Us” for Eurovision, because “Bird Of Pray” simply towers above it in terms of quality.

Also, I do have to criticize the quality of the English lyrics. I know Ukrainian is their first language, and I certainly couldn’t write anything coherent in another language, but they should consult some translators for the next album. Just look at these lyrics from “City,” which make it clear they’re still fuzzy on the definitions of some English words:

You fail to notice when I don't say a word

You rеally mean it when you ignore?

That I'm your daughter and your son

Even in the worst of times

I'm flinging with the city

Where shadows dance and streets are mazed

Night is a gift of city

You gotta take it while it's free.

That becomes especially apparent reading the English translation of “Bird Of Pray,” which proves how gorgeously they write in their native tongue:

You will, you'll visit me too, my little birdy

A burdened tune takes flight on your wings

Dearest heart, my beloved, don't you worry

Fate entrusted the world to the last of us.

Despite some clunky lyrics, I can’t help but adore these guys. They deserved better than ninth place in the ESC, they deserve millions of fans the world over, and they deserve the resources to create their wildest artistic visions. I hope they can find that somewhere.

Production: 8/10

Lyrics: 6/10

Songwriting: 8/10

Overall: 7.5/10

Favorites: City, Good Boy, Good Girl, Bird Of Pray

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Thank you for reading! What did you think of this album? Feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts and recommendations.