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The composite term "RussianAdults" refers to a young project from the city of St Petersburg, dedicated to downtempo, lo-fi, or chillwave recordings. Its members have just produced an excellent, understated release by the name of "Be My Friend Again." It offers sixteen hushed tracks from various corners of Russia, contextualized with some background sketches - all in order to produce a sense of shared, common purpose.
We focus here upon eight of the outfits that are new to FFM. In other words, we pass politely over Fiji, Maguett, Boring Room, Ifwe, and The Heather - simply in the name of (temporary) fairness.
The compilation opens with a lo-fi, inherently twee track by 2muchachos from the industrial city of Cherepovets in Western Russia. Despite the scale and significance of their hometown - or perhaps because of that noisy majesty - these artists cultivate a deliberately miniature aesthetic. RussianAdults tell us to expect "touching forms of indietronica devoid of almost any rhythmic patterns. And yet these performers have actually gained some beautiful phrasing [as a result] - all in a rather 'Soviet' manner. In other words, it's full of tidy harmonies and various noises that are taken from nature. Their music radiates with optimism - and will inspire you with a certain joie de vivre."
The vaguest hint of a smile transpires in a lo-fi snapshot.
Something about this turn from industrial grandeur and/or civic progress gives people reason to celebrate. It's a stance we'll see repeated elsewhere on the compilation.
Much further from the capital, and yet amid similarly loud industry, we find SV Hutor (Sergei Khutornenko), who resides in the Republic of Bashkortostan, i.e., in between the River Volga and Ural Mountains. More specifically, he lives in the city of Sterlitamak, an established center of chemical manufacturing.
...a melange of psychedelic or tropical-sounding guitars with chillwave keyboards
As his St Petersburg colleagues point out, the music emanating from that distant locale is a contrary and "sweet-smelling melange of psychedelic or tropical-sounding guitars, chillwave keyboards, drum pads, and soft percussion." This juxtaposition of civic energy and private introspection is nicely highlighted by the image used for the album. Against the backdrop of some lofty and most pragmatic structures, Mr. Khutornenko hugs a famous figure of children's animation - born in a state-run film studio that no longer exists.
The pirate hat does not suggest major, impending subterfuge. Especially because the furry figure in question is already wearing a navy uniform. Disorder is well shackled by stately convention; the result will be one of understatement.
Slightly darker in tone is the St Petersburg project Iftec, wandering in the general direction of electronic blues, dupstep, and browbeaten triphop. These melancholy tendencies come to us accompanied by various "passages in a minor key, played on an old piano." That shift towards a more doleful outlook is well contextualized by a fine St Petersburg blog for which Iftec is/are responsible: Papercross.Inc. Here the participants describe their view of music as "a timeless prism for people who've no funds for traveling."
Minimalist electronic sketches, designed for lonely cyclists
Retrospection and introspection take the place of physical movement - be it personal or public. Both seem difficult. Imagination and wistfulness become a form of alternative "transport" that we find more clearly formulated in some fleeting, yet precise words from Love Spells, aka Anton Maklakov, one of the key figures behind RussianAdults. Shown at the top of this article, he describes his own contribution to the compilation as an audible series of "minimalist electronic sketches, all designed for lonely cyclists."
In the meantime, Iftec (away from four-wheeled transportation) appears to have found some liquid forms of consolation.
Rather than head for the nearest bar and blissful forgetfulness, Mr. Maklakov extends his upbeat sentimentalism even further on Vkontakte: "Love Spells is project that produces music about love - and for love. It's music about the summer - and for the summer. Love Spells is a discerning memorygaze / chillwave venture that's rich in memoradelia, retro melodies, and an overall atmosphere of comfort."
...a discerning memorygaze / chillwave venture that's rich in memoradelia, retro melodies, and an overall atmosphere of comfort
As the compilation continues, these strains of backward reverie grow more evident. Take, for example, the anonymous figure of Sasha Curd Lake, shown below during one recent and valiant attempt to hide his identity. Unfocused hues help to blur the general picture.
On this occasion, we're offered one of his alter-egos, Curd's Lake Magic. We're promised a "transparent falsetto, set the to the kind of broken rhythm that seems to be a complete innovation... We're sure that Sasha will morph into several other things very soon indeed."
Mythical locations and endless, imagined identities. Once again, fantasy takes the place of physical transport - and the most attractive direction is backwards. Curd Lake is well positioned to face the future - or not.
The city of Cherpovets is mentioned more than once on this album: our second visit comes courtesy of Valotihkuu, who begrudgingly offers his Christian name (Denis). His track comes with a deliberately lo-fi, gaudy (yet upbeat) video that's redolent of much from the 1980s. Skateboarders, leg warmers, and so forth are all captured on cheap VHS material of the same decade. His promo-picture used for the album - and shown below - replicates that wobbly, fragile medium. Clarity is far away.
RussianAdults grant us a little more detail: "Denis' track - 'Bedroom Pop' - is built according to the classical dictates of chillwave: there's a cassette sound and gentle rhythm... It sounds warm, looks good, and leaves you wanting more. For those who didn't notice - the Valotihkuu composition uses a sample taken from Madonna."
A cassette sound and gentle rhythm
Not everybody is quite so jolly, though. The occasional track veers towards resignation or misery, even - and to dramatic effect. Foremost here is the figure of Vagina Vangi, initially based in the northern port of Murmansk - the biggest city north of the Arctic Circle. He now works in Moscow.
His dalliances with witchhouse have already found attention in the West: "Call it 'witchhouse,' call it 'deathgaze,' call it 'doomtronic,' call it whatever you want (please don't actually call it 'doomtronic' though). Vagina Vangi, Russia's most charmingly named one-man gothgazer, has crafted some pretty massive dirges..." Earlier tracks released in Murmansk, such as "Christ" and "Servant of Death," had certainly set the tone.
As geography, climate, and imaginary bicycles all start to show their limitations, however, the need for reverie to work harder becomes evident. It seems fitting, therefore, to close with the project called Summer of Haze (rather than "love"). RussianAdults showcase the track as "a true summer hit. It's got the kind of melody that's worthy of Pitchfork, a cellphone, or ringtone, even."
This, in other words, is the best possible soundtrack to daily experience. Precisely what kind of events and activities are implied here? With what projects or career path would a Summer of Haze listener be occupied on a typical day?
Most of the band's chosen imagery involves marijuana in some form - the kind of chemical support that's needed for a concerted escape from actuality. Grass allows for a more immediate and dramatic flight from daily drudgery. If - thus far - we've encountered the wistful, homebound thoughts of cartoon characters and '80s skateboarders, then the RussianAdults CD concludes on a bolder note. If we look, say, to the well-hidden pages on Vkontakte where Summer of Haze speak most directly of their music, we find that the project's frontman declares "himself" to be "a pornographic actress, born in 1972, and a professional wrestler."
Imagination is working very hard indeed to find something or somewhere better. With the right kind of fuel, anything's possible.
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