A handful of recordings this week from northern towns ponder the role of dancefloor melancholy. Various sonic and textual kinds of dolor merge to create an original view of sadness - within entertainment.
"Vovne" is a wide-ranging musical collaborative, centered in the Siberian cities of Tomsk and Kemerovo. Across considerable distances, a shared philosophy comes slowly into view, born of late Soviet experimentation.
A small Russian music blog - DKHC - has gathered a collection of post-rock outfits from around the country. Claiming to be based in Siberia, the blog aims for a similarly grand sweep in its tracklist.
Recordings from both Moscow and Omsk, Siberia, use some extreme forms of improvisation to counter the oppressive nature of local experience. The result is referred to by one band as "jazz nightmares."
Aesthetically, there might seem little in common between these recordings. Geographically, they are also far apart. yet when it comes to considerations of urban and rural existence, we find a considerable overlap.
Three electroacoustic projects from Krasnoyarsk, Moscow, and an unnamed Ukrainian location all consider the ephemeral nature of existence. Any levels of anxiety, however, quickly fade over time.
Exponents of harsh sound across Russia have shown a certain unity of late. Despite the apparent disorder and discord that resonates through these recordings, a manifest harmony exists on the level of worldview.
A new compilation has appeared from Omsk, celebrating some rare activity among musicians in faraway Yakutia. Not surprisingly, perhaps, the levels of both aspiration and boredom can be overwhelming.
Some tech-house and dubstep recordings, released simultaneously in Kiev, Murmansk, and Tallinn, all give voice to an escapist aesthetic. They speak, however, with varying degrees of confidence.
New glitch and drone compositions from some Russian and Lithuanian towns together create a sad picture of modernity. Escape offers more promise than the here and now. The further one travels, the better.
