Contradictory Feelings: Spieltape, Alexander Daf, Andy Malex, and (((O)))

Alexander Daf (St. Petersburg)

The St. Petersburg netlabel Festival Lounge Ltd. is currently announcing the release of a dual project from Alexander Daf and Spieltape (Alexander Malyutin). Daf is himself from St. Petersburg, whereas Malyutin comes from Arkhangel'sk, more than 600 miles north of Moscow. Together these two men are publishing a four-track EP with the title of "Be Water." Remixes are included both from French producer Rodriguez and Moscow-based Paronator (Pavel Yudin). 

F***ing awesome! (Eloquent praise at Soundcloud)

Keen to launch these deep techno compositions on a high, so to speak, the staff at Festival Lounge Ltd have been gathering public responses from a wide range of venues and organizations ahead of time. Thus far, the reaction has been very positive: “Excellent release! There are some cool versions here”; "All the mixes are top-notch. There's a great vibe all around. I love the Rodriguez mix... Deeep funk. Thanks!” Made public in two weeks time, the EP is already attracting a lot of advance notice. The worldview of its composers, however, is a little less sunny. 

The last of Daf's recordings showcased here came to us through the Greek record label Electronic Soundscapes. Called "While You Were Sleeping," those tracks drew in various ways upon the magic and mystery of Sandra Bullock's 1995 romantic comedy. 

Spieltape (Alexander Malyutin, Arkhangel'sk)

Some of the terminology used to frame those instrumentals promised an immersion in an "aural, [even] 'cinematic' shower." The music, in other words, was explicitly meant to operate in ways akin to the "surround sound" of a contemporary theater - and thus offer an experience that's usually (woefully!) absent away from the silver screen. Godard famously called cinema "the most beautiful fraud in the world"; similarly, this was a deliberately sought deception, once again suggesting that everyday actuality isn't that wonderful.

And so we found ourselves with a handful of so-called "panoramic tracks" from Mr. Daf, built carefully upon a backdrop of "warm, organic strings" and "angelic vocals." The gaze skyward was both deliberate and determined as the magic of movies tried to recreate itself in the less impressive setting of daily experience. What, though, of Daf's colleague? Does he hold the same views? 

Deep, dubby, and [consistently] melancholic

Spieltape last came to our attention in the light of some PR texts promising that his "tech-house and minimal sounds are deep, dubby, and [consistently] melancholic." Now, as then, he attributes that modish ennui to geography: "Spieltape's music is always infused with a genuinely Nordic mood." In short, there's an element of sadness here that seems almost welcome. A little more evidence is required in order to suggest why. Thankfully, the presence of a downbeat, even dour atmosphere endures in some simultaneous work from other Slavic musicians. Their interest in decadent themes of demise leads us to another, more revealing publication. And some telling artwork.

Andy Malex (Tallinn): "Leave The Screen, Live A Dream." (2012)

Now resident in Tallinn, the figure of Maksim Aleksandrov has passed across these pages before as [Scio]. He currently announces some brand-new recordings, published through a second stage-name: Andy Malex. Intrigued by these efforts a few months ago, we went in search of his music - penned "within the darkness of a home studio." Here in the Estonian capital [Scio] was spinning compositions that moved from classic house to what he called a melange of "dubstep, trip-hop, and even punk" elements. The final style in that wayward list implied that a relationship with social existence would, perhaps, be pugnacious from the outset.

Life looked unappealing outside the bedroom window. Sad sounds came from a dark studio: that emotional coloring endures this week.

His freshest works, on show here, come from a bass-heavy EP called "Leave The Screen, Live A Dream." The title suggests - unlike Daf's Greek recordings, that fantasy might be happily realized outside a cinema. Nonetheless, some of the films referenced by Malex suggest a less-than-happy view of the world - once velvet curtains close across the screen: "I Love Psycho" would be the best example. Pessimism is again foregrounded - on a dancefloor!

In the face of related civic concerns, the deep techno we encounter in St. Petersburg becomes darker still, tumbling into the realm of dubstep and, on occasion, flashes of breakcore. As we mentioned before, [Scio]'s creative biography begins with a related, youthful enthusiasm for the UK rave scene. (That anglophile bent is still important today in that he records for the Bedford-based Dubzilla label.) The noisy British subculture for which [Scio] once had such affection developed amid some masochistic, even self-destructive attempts to erase quotidian experience. The outside world needed to be shouted down or crowded out - loudly. One need only recall the public furor over PMA- or ecstacy-related deaths in the press when bass music first appeared...

Andy Malex (aka Maksim Aleksandrov and [Scio], Tallinn)

[Scio]'s own, increasing need to find a stylistically appropriate response to intrusive actuality meant that by the age of ten(!), he had allegedly sampled, cut, and pasted every sound in his record collection. Now, as he continues fashioning a sonic lexicon to match the (pushy) nature of everyday public spheres, his aesthetic becomes "even more industrial-sounding and full of urban tension."

The darkest release this weekend, however, comes courtesy of the ODDOT label and Minsk-based (((О))), who - as their name or logo may suggest - are exponents of modern witch-house. Since we last touched upon this project, a little more contextual information has come to light. We can now put a name to the noise: Nikita Vasiliev. It is also possible to confirm Vasiliev's hometown: Gomel, in Belarus. 

Dead voices from the underground, plus spooky beats from the darkest corners of an eternal consciousness

The last release from (((О))) had no time or patience for optimism: "Dead voices from the underground, plus spooky beats from the darkest corners of an eternal consciousness." And then, all of a sudden, this misery was turned on its head! An admission of individual insignificance became the possible key to other, better alternatives. Just as we sometimes read on the "humorous" placards that hang in dusty shops or bars: "Since I Gave Up Hope, I Feel Better." Hope emerged from acquiescence.

The music of (((О))), therefore, has been designed to recognize social pressures (including one's memories), in order then to escape them. "These are the funerals for memories that'll kill you - if you don’t have protection [against them]. In fact, you're already dead if you can’t hold on.. and get up from your knees." What sounds like the music of depression or hopelessness slowly becomes, in fact, an accompaniment to endurance. With a diminished sense of agency, admittedly...

(((О))) (Nikita Vasiliev, Gomel, Belarus): "Royal/Crush" (2012)

For that reason, we do not take the new PR materials from (((О))) at face value: "This artist creates mystic music under the dark rays of witch-house and ghost drone, sounds hypnotic and nostalgic, sometimes harsh and spooky..." One reason to doubt this insistent sadness comes from the way in which ODDOT today discusses Vasiliev's output. "You won’t be disappointed. Take a seat and get ready for some massive, beautiful, and endless melodies. They're pulsating like infernal voices in your head - or like an old church with new monks. This is unbelievable and smashing sound." Pun intended, no doubt.

Infernal voices in your head - like an old church with new monks

As information gradually helps to remove the anonymity around (((О))), a profile page even opens up on Vkontakte. Here Mr. Vasiliev speaks about his next venture into horrorcore: "I can tell you one thing for sure. It'll include witch-house and loads of other stuff. You'll find chillwave, shoegaze, and even - OMG! - dubstep and wobble bass. Don't be scared, though... Amen."

The music of misery is both made and dismissed at the same time. The sounds of various angry or "fated" styles are embraced, in order they be laughed off. The saddest styles allow for a dismissal of misery: a fear admitted is a fear lessened. As one recent fan declared at Soundcloud: "This makes me want to get into drugs. In a good way! XOXO." Hugs and kisses from ODDOT, a label that declares: "Sometimes strange things and odd sounds make us happy and sad simultaneously."

There may the slightest flicker of a smile on Mr. Vasiliev's face. There's humor within horrorcore.

(((О))) (Nikita Vasiliev, Gomel, Belarus)