Photo: Yekaterinburg's POV Girl 

Taking its name from a form of underground publishing that existed during the time of the Soviet Union, “Samizdat” is a term that literally means “self-publishing”. While the samizdat of the previous era involved a certain aspect political intrigue, our feature takes a more literal meaning; aiming to feature unheard and independent voices. Featuring independent artists whose sound could largely be described as experimental, the only provocation behind “Samizdat” is a rejection and subversion of the usual narratives.

Artem Xio - Can’t Stop (EP) (Russia)

Curator of independent label SubUrbz and Wax Ninja, Moscow’s self-professed vinyl junkie Artyom “Xio” Malev presents his latest 4 track and a remix EP “Can’t Stop”. Focusing on a classic house sound, howling soul vocals resonate through the gentle slide of lounging emotion magnifying over bassy, percussive kicks. A notable mention goes to its fifth and last track, a remix from Russia’s standout house-pop act Cream Soda, which soaks in dreamy emotion before diving into a spin of pure drum and bass intensity:

Artem Xio · Artem Xio - Can't Stop Now EP (incl. Cream Soda Remix) / 12" WAXNINJA2

Disziplin - Caprice Fmaj (Music for the Generic Generation) (Russia)

The solo initiative EIMIC’s Max Fedorov, Disziplin channels the energy of his alma mater in his debut  “Caprice Fmaj“. Charged with an acidic grunge and maddening intensity, heaping electronica fizzles into a dizzy spiral of high-voltage and adrenaline-fueled dance floor energy. 

disziplin · Caprice Fmaj (Music for the Generic Generation)

EIMIC - Intro (Russia)

Creating grandiose cinematic textures through its racing electronic current, Everything is Made in China, carries with it the industrial immensity that goes along with its namesake. With “Introduction”, EIMIC speaks magnitudes as slow, percolating beats stack over the cosmos of its dark-ambient thrill 

Golan - Anima (Romania)

It would be an oversimplification to say that Romanian trio Golan create electronic music. Combining breathtaking music production putting thrilling visuals to sound, their latest single “Anima” is a prime example of how Golan work on such a grandiose scale. A stunning panorama of wide-screen captures to a peregrinating expanse of subtle yet grooving percussion, “Anima” echoes its dreamy sentiment through the gentle fan of its vocal textures: 

Krestovsky - Confirm (Russia)

A darkly cut from Moscow’s Valentin Krestovsky, “Confirm” is taken from his sprawling two-track single. Compensating for its longer length, the track is a non-stop pump of industrial, dance aggression as buzzing synths resonate to the track’s percolating depths:

Krestovsky (official) · Krestovsky - Confirm

POV Girl -  “On Se Voit/ May ‘20″  (Russia)

Part of what they call Yekaterinburg’s “glitter pop” phenomenon, POV Girl is vocalist Maria Kuzminova and producers Ilya Babin.  With their debut double release “On Se Voit/ May ‘20″, the trio brilliantly combine incongruent elements in gleaming harmony. With the sun-drenched organic of Maria’s vocals percolating through its electronic depths and the intermingling of French to Russia, POV Girl’s debut is a whimsical and wonderful contradiction of sound. 

POV GIRL · On Se Voit / May '20

Viewer - “Д.о.м” (Czech Republic/Russia)

Taking a cue from Canadian hip-hop and R&B fixtures like Drake, PARTYNEXTDOOR and The Weeknd, Viewer is Prague’s Viacheslav Kathanov. Fusing Russian-language lyrics to the oozing harmonics of its lounging electronica, Kathanov’s focus track “Д.о.м” is one that centers on dark, heady R&B:

Photo: MITYA

Despite decades since the collapse of the Berlin wall separating the proverbial east and west, the post-Soviet sphere remains a realm of mystery and wonder. Though this “New East” has never quite escaped the imagination of the West, little of that fascination translates to interest in its musical scene. Overshadowed by foreign rock stars and a commercial pop scene that for many years concentrated on shock value over content, creators are filling in a void left behind by the rampant commercialism of the 90′s. For many artists and musicians, many who were born after the collapse of the Soviet Union and communism in Europe, it’s a search for authenticity that wrestles between the past and present; east and west. Our seventh volume of our Diaries from The New East is dedicated to the musicians who push the boundaries of what it means to be a musician within these surroundings, hence the name “Trial and Error”:

EIMIC - The Odyssey (Russia)

Quoted by Rolling Stone as one of the most pleasant discoveries to come out of Russia’s burgeoning indie scene, EIMIC (Everything is Made in China) combine otherworldly imagery to their transcendental brand of electropop. Their latest track “The Odyssey”, an epic, audiovisual feat combining the gnarly kitsch of their visual psychedelia to alien landscapes plays alongside its dreamy and euphoric cosmic disco glint which features alongside its contrasting coldwave dystopia.

Hospital - In the Evening/Skills (Russia)

A eulogy of their post-punk heroics, “In the Evening” is the last video from Russian band Hospital before disbanding. Sultry power-pop infused R&B is complimented by beaming synth structures and the resonant spill of gunning bass lines.Though no longer with us, the memory of Hospital’s will continue to linger on.Their video single for “In the Evening” is followed up by the shimmering falsetto of single “Skills”.

“Skills”

I Wear* Experiment (Estonia)

The Estonian trio of Hando Jaksi, Mikk Simson and vocalist Johanna Eenma, I Wear* Experiment channels Nordic pop sensibilities with sharp and poignant vocals over quirky, beat-driven synth work. Though initially harsh and heavy, their latest single “Jupiterz” snakes through the track’s crushing severity to reveal the expansive cosmos of its grooving disco sound sharply contrasted to Johanna’s striking shrill:

KOY - Dictatorship Techno (Germany/Russia)

Berlin via St. Petersburg, KOY is the artistic personification of electronic musician Victoria Trunova. Sharp and snarling with its gassing synths, the track contrasts the choir of Trunova’s lofty carry in this sharply contrasting number with the meandering prose of its chaotic frenzy.

MITYA [(Tatarstan Republic) Russia]

Never a dull moment with experimental musician and ethnographer MITYA, Mitya Burmistrov draws inspiration from his Central Asian, Volga Tatar roots. His latest song an homage to James Blake, re-energizes the dark and atmospheric single with a festive reworking of synthesizer sound through the oddball sound of his playful keys and sweet, soothing vocals. 

Palmo X - “Yo Lo Vi” (Ukraine)

Ukrainian artist Xenia Nema creates electronic music with soul, capitalizing on an expansive sound that features spacious rhythms vividly painted through the strokes of emotive delivery. Her latest track “Yo Lo Vi”, or “I Have Seen It” for those who habla español, is rush of grungy synth textures that layer over the angelic layering of her sultry, vocal lush.

Slow Babylon - Kenya