DakhaBrakha, the extraordinary group from Ukraine, has taken the US by a storm the past few years. Now they have begun touring a special program: their uniquely-DakhaBrakha live soundtrack to accompany the screening of the classic 1930 silent film, “Earth.” Directed by Aleksandr Dovzhenko, it is considered to be one of the most important films of the Soviet era.

Dovzhenko is a master of composition, and the film—with its intense close-ups and the impressive expanses of the landscape—is a passionate tribute to the countryside, to nature, and to the people that work on it. DakhaBrakha’s mix of unruly ancient song and contemporary rhythms transforms Dovzhenko’s striking images into an exhilarating live experience.

Despite writing a book, NPR’s Bob Boilen managed to see 506 bands take the stage in 2015. Among his top-10 favorites are DakhaBrakha—the only world music band to make his coveted list!

Here’s why, in Bob’s own words:

When I look geographically at the music I love, it tends to be based either on the East Coast, the south, the U.K. and Iceland. Geography is something that defines the sound of music and when I hear the Ukrainian music of DakhaBrakha and hear their out-of-this-world harmonies and rhythms, I’m reminded how narrow the avenues of creation can be. DakhaBrakha simply touched my heart deeply when I heard them at GlobalFEST in 2014 and the group’s U.S. return, at the Sixth and I Synagogue this year, conjured emotions of longing and uncertainty with songs sung in a language I don’t understand, but in ways music can universally convey. You can watch them play my desk or keep an eye for their 2016 return.

See who else made his list…