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2MR 071CD
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Russian producer/musician Kedr Livanskiy returns with her expansive, timeless new record on which she pushes the boundaries of electronic songwriting. Liminal Soul plays like an opera as Livanskiy brings her crystalline voice to the forefront, channeling it into operatic choruses, looping falsetto, and one of her first full songs in English. This conviction is evident in the album's instrumental arrangements as well -- Livanskiy expertly fuses acoustic elements with electronic ones, deconstructing pop songwriting with Björk-like prowess. The haunting vocal loop and house beat on lead single "Stars Light Up" sound almost underwater, distorting our sense of physical space and prompting the listener to "plunge into the night skies." The "Stars Light Up" single is release with an introspective video captured on 8mmfilm in one of the oldest church complexes in Moscow by director Sergey Kostromin. Kedr describes, "White-hipped roof vaults -- antique arches, but with a Slavic tint. This place is very personal to me. I feel the connection of antiquity, with those times when people turned their gaze to the sky in search of answers to their questions, in order to feel some kind of otherworldly energy and strength. 'Look at the sky' is sung in the song, urging people of our time not to lose contact with heaven - not necessarily in a religious sense, but rather a broader metaphysical one." On Liminal Soul she injects her infectious club beats with a dose of the natural, crafting a transcendent collection of deconstructed break pop. Contributions from Flaty and avant-electronic group Synecdoche Montauk on "Your Turn" and "Night" add texture to the album's dancier tracks, while the use of older acoustic instruments on "Storm Dancer" and "Boy" add a sense of timelessness that furthers the otherworldly tone. From the angelic choral opener "Celestial Ether" to the moodier outro "Storm Dancer", the listener enters a state of suspended reality where they are transported to dark cityscapes and verdant rural sprawls, futuristic societies and ancient ones, all in the same stroke. In the end, Livanskiy doesn't propose a single path forward. The point, instead, is to make peace with the fluctuation itself.
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2MR 071LP
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LP version. Russian producer/musician Kedr Livanskiy returns with her expansive, timeless new record on which she pushes the boundaries of electronic songwriting. Liminal Soul plays like an opera as Livanskiy brings her crystalline voice to the forefront, channeling it into operatic choruses, looping falsetto, and one of her first full songs in English. This conviction is evident in the album's instrumental arrangements as well -- Livanskiy expertly fuses acoustic elements with electronic ones, deconstructing pop songwriting with Björk-like prowess. The haunting vocal loop and house beat on lead single "Stars Light Up" sound almost underwater, distorting our sense of physical space and prompting the listener to "plunge into the night skies." The "Stars Light Up" single is release with an introspective video captured on 8mmfilm in one of the oldest church complexes in Moscow by director Sergey Kostromin. Kedr describes, "White-hipped roof vaults -- antique arches, but with a Slavic tint. This place is very personal to me. I feel the connection of antiquity, with those times when people turned their gaze to the sky in search of answers to their questions, in order to feel some kind of otherworldly energy and strength. 'Look at the sky' is sung in the song, urging people of our time not to lose contact with heaven - not necessarily in a religious sense, but rather a broader metaphysical one." On Liminal Soul she injects her infectious club beats with a dose of the natural, crafting a transcendent collection of deconstructed break pop. Contributions from Flaty and avant-electronic group Synecdoche Montauk on "Your Turn" and "Night" add texture to the album's dancier tracks, while the use of older acoustic instruments on "Storm Dancer" and "Boy" add a sense of timelessness that furthers the otherworldly tone. From the angelic choral opener "Celestial Ether" to the moodier outro "Storm Dancer", the listener enters a state of suspended reality where they are transported to dark cityscapes and verdant rural sprawls, futuristic societies and ancient ones, all in the same stroke. In the end, Livanskiy doesn't propose a single path forward. The point, instead, is to make peace with the fluctuation itself.
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2MR 071LTD-LP
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LP version. Silver marble vinyl; includes full color poster; edition of 450. Russian producer/musician Kedr Livanskiy returns with her expansive, timeless new record on which she pushes the boundaries of electronic songwriting. Liminal Soul plays like an opera as Livanskiy brings her crystalline voice to the forefront, channeling it into operatic choruses, looping falsetto, and one of her first full songs in English. This conviction is evident in the album's instrumental arrangements as well -- Livanskiy expertly fuses acoustic elements with electronic ones, deconstructing pop songwriting with Björk-like prowess. The haunting vocal loop and house beat on lead single "Stars Light Up" sound almost underwater, distorting our sense of physical space and prompting the listener to "plunge into the night skies." The "Stars Light Up" single is release with an introspective video captured on 8mmfilm in one of the oldest church complexes in Moscow by director Sergey Kostromin. Kedr describes, "White-hipped roof vaults -- antique arches, but with a Slavic tint. This place is very personal to me. I feel the connection of antiquity, with those times when people turned their gaze to the sky in search of answers to their questions, in order to feel some kind of otherworldly energy and strength. 'Look at the sky' is sung in the song, urging people of our time not to lose contact with heaven - not necessarily in a religious sense, but rather a broader metaphysical one." On Liminal Soul she injects her infectious club beats with a dose of the natural, crafting a transcendent collection of deconstructed break pop. Contributions from Flaty and avant-electronic group Synecdoche Montauk on "Your Turn" and "Night" add texture to the album's dancier tracks, while the use of older acoustic instruments on "Storm Dancer" and "Boy" add a sense of timelessness that furthers the otherworldly tone. From the angelic choral opener "Celestial Ether" to the moodier outro "Storm Dancer", the listener enters a state of suspended reality where they are transported to dark cityscapes and verdant rural sprawls, futuristic societies and ancient ones, all in the same stroke. In the end, Livanskiy doesn't propose a single path forward. The point, instead, is to make peace with the fluctuation itself.
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2MR 011LP
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2016 release. Kedr Livanskiy is Russian for "Lebanese Cedar". The sinister synths in "Sgoraet" (English: "Burning Down") are inspired by the otherworldliness of Russian winter; Russia in winter is a terrible thing, but it also has a strange romantic presence to it. The drum and bass coda emulate the feeling of impending death and transition to another state when winter is over one's shoulder. The mood of "Razrushitelniy Krug" (English: Destructive Cycle) is a little lighter, but it is about self-reflection becoming self-destructive in a vicious cycle. It's not all doom and gloom; "April" is almost tropical in its celebration of the arrival of spring. It's for exploring the Russian countryside after the sun has unlocked the trees, debris and dilapidated buildings frozen in time.
Kedr on growing up in Russia and the influence that had on her music: "Of course the big problem was perpetual drunkenness -- people would drink themselves to death. I was born on October 4, 1990. It was a very interesting but critical time for Russia -- a time of great change. The Soviet Union was no more, and old values were anathematized because of the reconstruction. In my early teens no one seemed to understand me in this world (I thought), so I read Washington Irving novels and listened to The Cure. At around 20 years old I felt a real need to find myself, so I entered the directing department of the Moscow School of New Cinema. At the same time, electronic music fascinated me completely. A small circle of my friends formed around a mutual interest in music. We always went to concerts together, of which were mostly international artists: Inga Copeland, DJ Spinn, and DJ Rashad, Legowelt, Death Grips, Florian Kupfer, Dean Blunt, etc. It wasn't long until we organized the community and DIY record label known as John's Kingdom. It's not only about music; it's also a channel for art, videos and lifestyle. Now it's the most alive and honest thing in Moscow. My music is strongly inspired by Autechre, Aphex Twin, and Boards of Canada, but with the lyrics and mood of Mazzy Star. I admire contemporaries Inga Copeland and Laurel Halo, however, my songs are more pop-leaning because of the powerful influence MTV had on my adolescence."
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2MR 029CD
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2019 repress; 2017 release. Moscow's Kedr Livanskiy (real name Yana Kedrina) confesses, "Synthesizers help me maximally feel the present moment." Livanskiy was born into a shifting and critical time for Russia. The Soviet Union had exhausted and old values were anathematized because of reconstruction. A sense of displacement drove Kedr to find herself. She's escaped reality repeatedly in her explorations into the imagery and ideas of romanticism, mythical, and fairytale themes which visibly bleed throughout her work and especially on her debut full-length Ariadna. The title track which was named after the Greek goddess, Adriane, debuted via Thump who've stated it "anchors its elegantly drifting shoegaze melodies with a knocking electro beat." Ariadna marks a change in her recording approach: her critically-acclaimed breakthrough EP January Sun was written and recorded completely in Ableton, while Ariadna was written using the Roland SH-101, Roland Juno 106, and Korg Minilogue synthesizers, then mixed down in Ableton. According to Kedr, "This way, one gets into a flow of live interaction, here and now, with the instrument." There is a definite leap in production values this time around, but Kedr manages to keep true to her sound despite the greater polish and depth. "ACDC" features Martin Newell.
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2MR 029LP
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LP version. Moscow's Kedr Livanskiy (real name Yana Kedrina) confesses, "Synthesizers help me maximally feel the present moment." Livanskiy was born into a shifting and critical time for Russia. The Soviet Union had exhausted and old values were anathematized because of reconstruction. A sense of displacement drove Kedr to find herself. She's escaped reality repeatedly in her explorations into the imagery and ideas of romanticism, mythical, and fairytale themes which visibly bleed throughout her work and especially on her debut full-length Ariadna. The title track which was named after the Greek goddess, Adriane, debuted via Thump who've stated it "anchors its elegantly drifting shoegaze melodies with a knocking electro beat." Ariadna marks a change in her recording approach: her critically-acclaimed breakthrough EP January Sun was written and recorded completely in Ableton, while Ariadna was written using the Roland SH-101, Roland Juno 106, and Korg Minilogue synthesizers, then mixed down in Ableton. According to Kedr, "This way, one gets into a flow of live interaction, here and now, with the instrument." There is a definite leap in production values this time around, but Kedr manages to keep true to her sound despite the greater polish and depth. "ACDC" features Martin Newell.
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2MR 043CD
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"Kiska" is the lead single off Kedr Livanskiy's sophomore release, Your Need. The album is a celebration of life and rebirth. It's about a fighter's spirit, and if you will, a little audacity and courage. DJ'ing and early forms of dance music inspired a furious burst of creative energy after months of melancholy, sadness and reflection to record the album in only a matter of weeks. After her breakout album, Ariadna (2017), which put her on the forefront of Russia's burgeoning electronic scene, Kedr felt lost with her identity and was searching for the direction of her next chapter. For a while she felt trapped by her own image and needed quite some time to resolve this internal dissonance -- to grow, to evolve. DJ'ing was the main catalyst to pull her out of this rut. The art form shifted her inspiration to mainly old school styles of dance music: ghetto, house, breakbeat, and UK garage. For the prior year an--a-half she was listening to ambient, krautrock, and more experimental genres -- one can hear the brighter, more energetic influence of early electronic music in the songs on Your Need. One day she was talking with her friend Flaty (Zhenya), a very talented artist from St. Petersburg who's signed to the GOST ZVUK label, and they decided to do a single together. Zhenya is a beatmaster and pays attention to even the smallest details of a track. He brought incredible richness to the composition and Kedr considers him her teacher in this area. Kedr was in charge of the melodies and vibe of the tracks, and the vocal elements. Your Need is like a chapter of life. It's a story that illustrates different scenarios and moods that our mythical hero experiences, living in an urban jungle. Our hero sometimes feels bold, lost or devastated, but also tender and full, like all of us at some point in life. The ending is joyful and bright. Your Need reflects an array of genres and a mix of cultures -- a harmonious combination of differences. Everything Kedr loves about ghetto music, in the traditions of house, dub, breakbeat, ''90s electronic music and modern sounds -- she's embraced and expressed it all throughout. Your Need is Kedr's ode to music from different eras and changing periods.
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2MR 043LP
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2021 restock. LP version. "Kiska" is the lead single off Kedr Livanskiy's sophomore release, Your Need. The album is a celebration of life and rebirth. It's about a fighter's spirit, and if you will, a little audacity and courage. DJ'ing and early forms of dance music inspired a furious burst of creative energy after months of melancholy, sadness and reflection to record the album in only a matter of weeks. After her breakout album, Ariadna (2017), which put her on the forefront of Russia's burgeoning electronic scene, Kedr felt lost with her identity and was searching for the direction of her next chapter. For a while she felt trapped by her own image and needed quite some time to resolve this internal dissonance -- to grow, to evolve. DJ'ing was the main catalyst to pull her out of this rut. The art form shifted her inspiration to mainly old school styles of dance music: ghetto, house, breakbeat, and UK garage. For the prior year an--a-half she was listening to ambient, krautrock, and more experimental genres -- one can hear the brighter, more energetic influence of early electronic music in the songs on Your Need. One day she was talking with her friend Flaty (Zhenya), a very talented artist from St. Petersburg who's signed to the GOST ZVUK label, and they decided to do a single together. Zhenya is a beatmaster and pays attention to even the smallest details of a track. He brought incredible richness to the composition and Kedr considers him her teacher in this area. Kedr was in charge of the melodies and vibe of the tracks, and the vocal elements. Your Need is like a chapter of life. It's a story that illustrates different scenarios and moods that our mythical hero experiences, living in an urban jungle. Our hero sometimes feels bold, lost or devastated, but also tender and full, like all of us at some point in life. The ending is joyful and bright. Your Need reflects an array of genres and a mix of cultures -- a harmonious combination of differences. Everything Kedr loves about ghetto music, in the traditions of house, dub, breakbeat, ''90s electronic music and modern sounds -- she's embraced and expressed it all throughout. Your Need is Kedr's ode to music from different eras and changing periods.
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