Heartbeat is the novelistic debut Viktoria Kaufman was destined to open with. The singer-songwriter found her sound in the intersections of electronica and folk; there, in the reverie of the uncharted territory, she planted the seeds to orchestrate her authentic brand of florescence. Paradoxically blossoming through synthesised melodies that carry all the naturalism and etherealism of traditional folk, complete with hypnotic oscillations and pulses of transcendent reverb, Heartbeat is a livable, breathable abstraction from the torn fabric of reality.
Her voice effortlessly aids escapism, but it’s her songwriting that turns every progression into revelation. Every chapter of this panoramic vignette tells a story forged in the tension of separation, belonging, and loyalty that beats louder in absence. There is no hollow performance here, only sincerity set to a celestial score. Kaufman set the bar high by wearing her heartstrings on her synths, but it would be foolish to expect anything but a triumphant return to mythic form with her sophomore single.
Born in Russia and now based in the UK, Kaufman used Heartbeat to preserve the emotional anchors she left behind. Slavic folk-inspired vocal layering underpins the devotion to her roots, while cinematic production shapes the sonic monument to soulmates distanced by time and fate. As her voice rises above the frostbitten ambient textures, she gives warmth to what the world often renders numb.
Heartbeat is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link.
Review by Amelia Vandergast
