seven

this double vinyl is a collection of tracks from russian idm scene (hence the name). most of the material already appeared on various releases. anyone familiar with idm scene would recognize the names like fizzarum, eu and solar x. the rest of the projects on this compilation mostly belong to witty named cheburec label (coincidentally, I just got vesna and "out to city" releases on cheburec) based in st. petersburg. overall the music on this sampler represents a more melodic side of idm, still retaining the technoid edge that started the genre.

right from the start two tracks by klutch kick off this release with bouncy melodic rhythms of "strochnik" and "wantelur saw" - both very upbeat compositions with pleasant strings and addictive percussion that makes you nod along. little static splashes and high-tension humming add a nice fuzziness, resulting in a soft atmosphere that despite all its energy does not have splintery forced sound that some of the idm artists are guilty of.

two tracks by tenzor could be described as playful glitch-styled material, interwoven with small tweaked melodies and more conventional idm approach, smoothing out the rough edges left by splintery skips and cuts, resulting in warm unpredictable atmosphere, similar to softer ~scape material.

eu presents "kmsh", previously featured on "tut tak" release on cheburec, is an interesting combination of small melodic elements trying to break through the fuzzy static. this contrast actually works out quite well, emphasizing fragility of an addictive melody carried forward with fluid percussion. and I am sure many of you heard excellent "downset" off "eu_soft" - its melody and charm is something that could not be easily forgotten.

solar x closes the first vinyl with "one free drink" (previously appeared on "little pretty automatic") - a mix of tough breakbeats and melodic elements. simple atmosphere of following "miro" dates all the way back to 1994.

lonyx is one of the new artists that attracted my attention with two excellent melodic tracks. his work is a mix of laid-back atonal melodies, effortlessly floating along little swirling noises, distant fading keys. soft, gentle, cinematic work, that manages to create thoughtful deep atmospheres with seemingly minimal arrangements. his recent release "lone x" on cheburec is something to look out for.

I have already mentioned "izoterica" by fizzarum in my review of "monochrome plural" - the samples alone steal this track, not to mention this wonderful dreamy sci-fi feel, taking you back to the retro world of early sci-fi, sprinkled with myriad of little clicks and hisses.

all in all, it is an excellent introduction to russian idm, especially if you did not have a chance to listen to the material previously released on other labels.