{"id":3955,"date":"2014-11-07T16:55:32","date_gmt":"2014-11-07T15:55:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.psybient.org\/love?p=3955"},"modified":"2018-02-27T23:16:58","modified_gmt":"2018-02-27T22:16:58","slug":"russia-psychedelic-downtempo-scene","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.psybient.org\/love\/russia-psychedelic-downtempo-scene\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia: Psychedelic downtempo scene and community (part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Friends,<\/p>\n

As promised we are publishing a very interesting article prepared by Nick Klimenko (Chronos music)<\/strong>. This post is about the “chill” music movement in Russia. For the ease of read and future update we decided to divide the subject in two parts: this first part is the article by Nick with his memories and vision of the history and the current situation, second part will be listing of first and active actors of downtempo scene (producers, labels, festivals and dj’s). Most of the article is written by Nick, and was only slightly edited and organised by Gagarin and Runa. <\/p>\n

By the way, this article will be the first to open the series of publications devoted to different countries. We are currently preparing articles about Brazil. If you would like to help us with article about your local chill scene contact us<\/a> and we will be happy to make it happ\u00ean together. <\/p>\n

\nObviously, some interesting moments and events might be missing here, for sure there is much more to tell. Thus we would like to ask our readers to comment this post<\/a> with whatever you feel like. <\/p>\n

Those could be your memories about your first events with “chill” music, first artist and dj’s that amazed you. You can also add links to the photo albums or the videos. It will help to expand the article and make it more interesting and complete. <\/p>\n

Let’s remember how it all began and keep the psychedelic sacred fire<\/strong> burning!\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Enjoy the read and stay chilled!<\/p>\n

Content:<\/h2>\n

Intro<\/a>
\nBeginning<\/a>
\nHard times<\/a>
\nToday<\/a>
\nSome pictures\u2028<\/a>
\nOutro and thoughts\u2028\u2028<\/a>
\nReferences<\/a>
\npart 2 (artist, labels, events listing)<\/a><\/p>\n

Intro:<\/h2>\n

Russia is a big & wide space which is reach not only with it\u2019s resources & nature but also having wide cultural life & traditions. I’ve decided to show you our musical \u2028world, it\u2019s tendencies & colors.\u2028\u2028 The Nature of our country is very beautiful but the climate might be rough \u2013 hot summer & sometimes very cold (till -40c) winter, winds & rains. <\/p>\n

This fact influences music and sound on the whole. We have much trash & hard music in every genre. If you go abroad to festivals and ask which kind of Russian psychedelic music people know lots of them will name some pop stars like Tatu & dark psytrance. Unfortunately our country is now famous for this kind of music \u2013 speedy, sound-designish & non musical actually.<\/p>\n

But the melodious & harmonic side with slower bpm & emotional music of chillout, trip-hop, psychill genres are not well-known around the globe. However, inside the country we have lots of talents \u2013 solo musicians, bands, jamming people, djs, etc. We have lots of successful musicians in every subgenre of electronic music & the scene\u2019s becoming stronger day by day.<\/p>\n

\"---3\"<\/p>\n

Beginning:<\/h2>\n

Speaking of tendencies the worldwide psychill movement is still very young & gets on its feet. Before 2007 we had only single guests\u2019 parties when promoters brought big names like Shpongle, Shulman. From 2007 (as far as I remember) we started to make topical events & festivals. We organized the very first indoor purely psychill festival with presentation of 4 albums by Khooman, CJ Catalizer, Chronos, Sacral Reason. At that time people were not ready for all night parties without trance straight kick & dancefloor :) But we laid the foundation.<\/p>\n

Growth:<\/h2>\n

Later \u2013 2008-2010 \u2013 promo-groups & promoters started to grow and make thematic events and invite great artists: Asura & Abacus , Jaia, Solar Fields, Crabon Based Lifeforms, Aes Dana, H.U.V.A Network, Shpongle, Raja Ram, Cell, Juno Reactor, Side Liner and many others. The scene started growing & we enjoyed playing back to back with the mentioned musicians & realized that the level of organization was moving up.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless for example the first visit of Asura & Abacus ended with a bad accident. Some crazy guy spread pepper gas from the container on the dancefloor \u2013 and it was terrible! Abacus even did not play. This story does not show the Russian mentality but has given experience to choose a better club in a better area.<\/p>\n

From 2009 the scene started growing very quickly & great promoters & promo groups started to make more global events. 2008-2010. The promo group called \u201c2012\u201d made a series of very good events with \u201cHennessy\u201d drinks sponsors in great clubs & in open air. They invited Aes Dana, H.U.V.A, Solar Fields, Jaia, CBL, Kuba and many more to Moscow for the first time. Also they organized a great event with the Russian government\u2019s support on VDNKh square when the whole day chillout music was played on a really big scene. <\/p>\n

Since that time the movement underwent many metamorphoses \u2013 2008-2010 was a good period with good thematic events & great guests \u2013 Russian & foreign. <\/p>\n

\"---5\"<\/p>\n

Hard times:<\/h2>\n

However 2010-2012 was not so good a period in Moscow \u2013 most of trusty promoters were tired, stopped organizing events or switched to commercial music. During this period at some parties there was no chill area, only the main dancefloor, or dubstep, techno music was played in chill.
\nAs chillout still takes the second floor after the main floor \u2013 which is still like that in many countries & at festivals \u2013 sometimes it\u2019s organized very poorly with sound systems, lineups & advertisements. No one organized topical events & we had to organize them ourselves \u2013 they were concerts in clubs, cinemas, planetariums, galleries and then we moved to other cities & countries \u2013 Saint Petersburg, Kiev, Vienna, Kazan, etc. <\/p>\n

\"---4\"<\/p>\n

Today:<\/h2>\n

Since 2013 the movement has started growing again and some new & great people have appeared on the scene. Worth mentioning Microcosmos<\/a> promo-group & records \u2013 the state of art organization from Saint Petersburg which \u2028had organized lots of great parties in cultural capital of Rusland.\u2028\u2028 They brought lots of artists, made wonderful designs. Additionally, the public of Saint Petersburg is something special \u2013 so alive & \u2028so connected…<\/p>\n

As for Moscow, the leading Russian label for psychill music is Mystic Sound Records<\/a>. MSR focuses on such different styles of psychedelic downtempo and trance music as psychill, psydub, progressive chillout and goa-trance. The independent label was founded in the very beginning of 2014 by Alla Vagner (Maiia Project) and Edward Cybered in order to discover new talented artists and promote their music globally. Mystic Sound Records is also a quality place for realizing creative potential of well-known projects and musicians, starting from mastering which is made in one of the best Russian studios \u2013 manifold-studio.com, producing digital and CD releases presented in all the major stores around the world and finishing with promotion and quality events of the label.
\n\u2028
\nAlla Vagner (MAIIA project)<\/a> is not only a great musician & a dj, the label manager of Mystic Sound Records but also a key figure in development of Russian chillout movement. She gets in touch with musicians & organizes one of the best parties at present. They are not only musical events \u2013 they include dance performances, gallery exhibitions, video graphics \u2013 combined in one source of a pure chillout carnaval. <\/p>\n