Straytones’ ‘Не окей (Not OK)’ is a fierce, psychedelic rally cry for a world off its axis

Straytones have never been a band to chase the obvious, but with their latest release ‘Не окей (Not OK)’, the Kyiv-based trio pivot into their most urgent and unflinching era yet. Drenched in fuzz, grief, and resolve, the track shatters their previous sun-baked garage rock mould and steps into far more volatile terrain, where every note trembles with unrest and defiance.

Sung entirely in Ukrainian and forged in the pressure cooker of war, ‘Not OK’ is s a cracked mirror held up to the world. It doesn’t attempt to soothe or mend; instead, it pulses with unease, echoing the disarray and emotional fatigue of a population caught in the crosshairs of a brutal invasion. The track paces like a restless animal, stalking forward on anxious riffs and a rhythm section that’s all coiled tension, building to a suspended final note that offers no resolution, because there isn’t one.

This is Straytones stripped of their usual psychedelia-tinged escapism. What’s left is raw nerve and disillusionment. Where their earlier work often hinted at transcendence or inner journeys, this track is tethered to reality, one that’s jarring and volatile, yet undeniably real.

‘Not OK’ is the kind of song that grabs you by the collar. It’s not here to comfort; it’s here to disrupt. And in doing so, it reminds us that music born out of turmoil doesn’t have to offer hope, it can simply tell the truth.

With this release, Straytones not only deepen their musical palette but also carve out space for Ukrainian-language rock to speak plainly, viscerally, and without compromise. This is a document of resistance.