Denis A / Denis Alentieff

Moscow's DAR Label is publishing some showcase albums of Slavic progressive- and tech-house. Despite the bold drama of those styles, they're tied to a melancholy reality.

Four deep and progressive house projects show the social relevance of a northern dancefloor. On the edge of terra firma and economic opportunity, dance music fosters a priceless patience.

Progressive house and euphoric trance releases from four different cities look back to the late 1990s. At that time, escapist styles were used to counter a sense of economic collapse. It's time to use them again.

Four house DJs from Moscow, Kiev, Lviv, and Chelyabinsk all have new work on display that's framed in an upbeat spirit. The dancefloor is promoted as a place of rare escapism and calm. Social pressures, however, stubbornly endure.