Like whispered words of encouragement on the worst of days, Are We Alive? begins.

This collection of five modern classical compositions from Ukrainian composer and violinist Natalia Tsupryk is a powerful, painful and uplifting work that blends techniques from classical and electronic music to evoke the ongoing suffering of the artist’s native homeland.

Although it bears the heavy weight of heart-rending tragedy, this compositional cycle stands as an undertaking of determined hope and resilience, carrying the listener beyond the confines of war and echoing the iron will of the men and women of the artist’s home country — those who, despite an endless barrage of unmanned drones and a ground war stalemate in which gains are measured in meters, continue to build lives, raise children and care for their elders.

“I wanted to show something different from what people around the world see in the news — that despite all the destruction caused by Russia’s war, there is a lot of love, resilience and kindness,” Tsupryk states in the liner notes of the recording.

The Kyiv-born musician, who now lives in England, said each of the project’s five pieces was inspired by photographs of life in their native country.

“A Place Where Silence Felt Safe” begins with an inhale and exhale from Tsupryk. Their voice settles the listener, regardless of language.

It celebrates the quiet stillness of life — the presence of peace and what it offers. However deeply melancholic and nostalgic, the simple melody and surrounding textures underscore the constant tension that defines the lives of those at the heart of the composition.

Here, the listener is placed in the emotional space that defines the entire work — a mix of sadness and anxiety alongside optimism and hope.

The opening chord of “Late June Night” carries that sense of optimism. A melody lingers, drifting through the piece like a child exploring a garden.

As the recording progresses, “Trees Were Burnt to the Ground” follows with a devastating chord progression that evokes images of desolation.

Strings ring out like cries in the night, yet even here, brief moments offer a glimmer of light in the distance.

“Razor Wires in the Black Earth” is centered by a resounding vibrato that sweeps through the piece as darker, heavier strings carry the work forward, step by plodding step.

It underscores the profound cost that war and aggression have on the land on which it is fought and the tremendous sacrifices made for every millimeter.

The recording concludes with “Who Is Guarding the Sky?” — a composition centered on Tsupryk’s voice, echoing a child singing a lullaby to themselves, a reminder that despite the great darkness, life continues.

Released under Montreal’s Moderna Records earlier this year, the album marks another step forward in Tsupryk’s ongoing work to create music amid conflict.

In 2022, months after the conflict began, the British ensemble Sansara commissioned their choral work “Tyhoi Nochi” (“A Quiet Night”) as an expression of solidarity. The composition is intended as a gathering piece for both professional and amateur groups, creating a space for sanctuary and refuge for those who have fled their homes.

Three years later, Tsupryk’s composition “Kyiv,” created from the sound of air raid sirens recorded in the Ukrainian capital, was performed by the Grammy-winning choral ensemble The Crossing in December 2025.

Through this musical undertaking, Tsupryk has penned a profound tribute to those taking action, making a difference, or simply scrambling to survive.

It calls to mind the story of a man who lost his son during the first days of the war — four years ago — and now continues to hunt drones across the nation’s skies with his skydiving plane, retrofitted with heavy machine guns.

On the ground below, a couple — adorned in camouflage combat uniforms — are married while outsiders from small towns on the opposite side of the Atlantic rush to provide support.

Without ever saying a word, the artist sings for these voices, conveying fear and anguish alongside the joy and unrelenting spirit of those with whom they share a nation.

“Today, when there is so much division around the world, you can still feel at home,” Tsupryk states.