Anastasia Rydlevskaya's haunting OST to a book

Where words turn into spells — Belarusian artist brings a sonic atmosphere to Makar’s new novel.

17.10.2025

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Anastasia Rydlevskaya releases a new single, Oj Da Nočy, which serves as the soundtrack to the new book Nici (Threads) by Belarusian writer Makar.

This dark, swampy, pagan song is based on a line from Makar’s novel. In the depths of rural Belarus, mysterious events unfold: a young teacher from Miensk arrives in a remote, forgotten village where people live by their own rules and believe in folk rituals such as “you must perform a ceremony so the deceased can reach God.” For a city dweller, this may seem absurd, but for the locals it’s an ordinary thing — as simple as going to the store.

“My friend Alina Mazaviec, the manager and director of the publishing project for Nici, wrote to me,” — Rydlevskaya recalls about the collaboration, — “and she suggested I compose a soundtrack for the book, which, according to her description, perfectly fits my aesthetic and the things I love: dark, swampy, pagan. And I immediately thought — it’s a match made in heaven. In a past life, I was a philologist, so I have a special connection to everything related to literature.” “The melody came to me instantly, right after I agreed. I was on a bus when it started haunting me so persistently that I decided to record it on my phone. I don’t usually do that, but this time it worked. It could have been a fatal slip-up, because I hadn’t yet seen the spell’s text and didn’t know if they would fit together — but they did. The melody and the words aligned perfectly, as if they had been waiting for each other.”

“The song turned out meditative, even though I initially wanted it to be more driving. Every sound I added felt thick, dark, swamp-like. The only thing missing was a sense of gradual build-up, and that’s where Ilya Fomin, with whom I co-produce, really helped. He took the finished demo and added what I had been hearing inside but didn’t know how to translate technically — the drums. They completed the track, bringing it to the point where I wanted to replay it again and again. And that’s always a sure sign that I truly love it.”

The author of Nici, Makar, continues:

“When I confirmed the publication of Nici, I immediately knew I wanted the book to have a soundtrack — and that I wanted Anastasia to create it. Her style embodies exactly what I feel in this story: a blend of folklore and contemporary sound, deep and high-quality production.”

According to Makar, Anastasia’s music holds that sense of mysticism and enchantment that is essential to the book’s atmosphere.

“The track turned out truly fantastic and magical,” — Makar adds. — “It envelops, captivates, and unsettles; you want to listen to it again and again — and then catch yourself humming it under your breath. It perfectly captures the atmosphere I wanted and complements the book in an incredible way.”

The single Oj Da Nočy is available on all streaming platforms.

Nici, Makar’s new novel in Belarusian, is available from Janushkevich Publishing House

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