It’s revolution all over again in Russia. But this time round, the people are voting with their feet. Russia, for so long ignored as a world force in electronic dance music, is finally shaking the global dancefloor thanks to a number of sharp new clubs and talented producers. Not just shaking it, in fact, but marching right across it.
Indeed, the interest in Russian dance music has quickly spread beyond national borders and into most well established clubland territories. Moscow’s fast rising tech DJ and studio star Denis A (full name Denis Alentieff) is, as you’d perhaps expect, hugely optimistic for the future.
“Things are changing for the better, because more and more people are starting to be involved in the electronic dance scene over here” he answers. “Russia is so big, you really can’t understand how big, so things take a little time to happen. But it is starting now. Even more, I’m sure that Russian producers will play a leading role on the world scene in the next three to four years.”
Up to now Russia has been dominated by a thriving pop and rock market. Pop artists are well supported by mainstream music media including MTV Russia and Muz TV; rock acts, too, have significant TV and radio back-up, and several sub-scenes based on punk, ska, grunge and heavy metal continue to bloom. Even Russia’s hip-hop and reggae movements are in rude health.
Electronic music, by comparison, is undeveloped. For years Russia’s club scene has suffered from lack of promotion; Russia’s expansive geography only tameable via the mainstream pop networks. A number of underground trance producers have exploited internet radio to adequate effect, including Parasense, Kindzadza and Yolochnye Igrushki, but their collective impact remains small.
Denis A
So who, then, along Denis A are Russian clubland’s feisty new revolutionaries? “I can recommend some very talented people for you to watch out for” he laughs. “First Sergey Nikitin [half of tech-house duo Nikitin & Semikashev] who will be a huge global star, also Monaque, and you mustn’t forget Responz. All of them are making amazing and original styles of music.”
Denis A, of course, hosts the increasingly influential DAR Sessions night at key Moscow club Discoteque – a progressive house and techno-led party which, over the past two years, has attracted a steady stream of major international DJs (not least Danny Tenaglia, John Digweed and Danny Howells) thanks largely to A’s inspired musical direction and his own innovative sets.
“The club situation is much better than before. A lot of nice places have opened with good music policies, and therefore musically-educated audiences are growing” A explains. “Another great Moscow club is ARMA17; it’s a major base for techno in Russia. Our scene has a real energy these days; each country and its people have their own vision of dance music culture, but ours is really unique. It’s shaped by our social and political history; it’s powerful music, and can’t be repeated anywhere else.”
It’s a sound encapsulated on any one of A’s recent releases through his own DAR label this year. Melodic cut Ocean has become a playlist staple for Sasha; other tracks such as Brutalizm and Test Drive have grabbed rotations from Laurent Garnier, Tiesto and Hernan Cattaneo.
“Everyone who comes to Moscow to play… or dance… is amazed by the energy of the crowds; they all want to come back!” Denis enthuses. “More and more promoters are setting nights up in Russia; at the same time, promoters outside of Russia are starting to recognise this energy our scene has and are booking Russian DJs more and more. Take me… I’m playing Ibiza, Germany and Montenegro over the next few weeks.”
Mr A is actually Russia’s first ever DJ to secure a residency in Ibiza – at Amnesia no less; a real sign of the times. He’s playing three exclusive dates there this summer and also making several appearances at mighty 21-day dance festival KaZantip, on the Crimean peninsula in Ukraine. KaZantip is one of clubland’s biggest international gatherings; as such, Carl Cox is headlining this year.
Kazantip Festival - Photo by Morbyd
It’s a remarkable rise, especially considering the way in which A was introduced to dance music. “It happened by chance” he grins. “I drove to a garage one night to get my car washed only to find it’d been hired out for a rave. The DJ in the VIP room just disappeared and, after a while without music, I grabbed the CDs in my car to play. I can’t say that I was ‘DJing’ but it was a real buzz. The next day I bought all the equipment I needed and started practising eight hours a day.”
Rapid progress on the decks has been matched by rapid mastery of the studio, and some of A’s earliest releases on DAR in 2008 – Mirage, Get It, Tsunami – are already prominent entries in the worldwide techno canon. Not content to stop there, A is also now on popular Moscow radio station MGPS with regular show Diamonds Of Dance Music. What could be better?
“Well, the Russian scene is exploding but there are always things to be done” A restlessly ponders. “If everyone works harder, then the future for Russian dance music will be amazing, I’m sure.”
Painting the town ‘red’ has a whole new meaning. Those bold as brass Ruskis are on the move….
Denis A’s Z EP is released on DAR July 19 (vinyl) and 26 (Beatport).
