Now I am Become
March 26, 2016 11:11 AM Subscribe
In Search of Johns' Kingdom A short documentary commissioned by The Calvert Journal, about a shadowy Russian music collective. For fans of Grimes, Aphex Twin, Dirty Beaches, Prince Rama.
JK first showed up on western radars when they flew Montreal wunderkinds (and roommates of Mac Demarco) Tonstartssbandht to Moscow for a series of underground, frenetic shows.
The music performed in the documentary by Kedr Livanskiy.
Most importantly, Johns' Kingdom bandcamp.
JK first showed up on western radars when they flew Montreal wunderkinds (and roommates of Mac Demarco) Tonstartssbandht to Moscow for a series of underground, frenetic shows.
The music performed in the documentary by Kedr Livanskiy.
Most importantly, Johns' Kingdom bandcamp.
ooh.
posted by Going To Maine at 1:53 PM on March 26, 2016
posted by Going To Maine at 1:53 PM on March 26, 2016
video soundtrack, v good stuff ...
"... the most difficult thing is money ... "
A few days ago I was watching an oral history on the 1970s about the early days of EM in East Germany ... same problem. But techno itself came out of such problems (Detroit, Chicago) , that's when the really original stuff gets done before the commercial interests smother it..
posted by Twang at 4:27 PM on March 26, 2016
"... the most difficult thing is money ... "
A few days ago I was watching an oral history on the 1970s about the early days of EM in East Germany ... same problem. But techno itself came out of such problems (Detroit, Chicago) , that's when the really original stuff gets done before the commercial interests smother it..
posted by Twang at 4:27 PM on March 26, 2016
I wish the documentary had a little more substance, but there’s some good music in that BandCamp link. I’m a fan of Ghostek, another Russian, and there’s definitely a common thread there. I would have said more like Burial though, at least in vibe.
posted by bongo_x at 12:19 AM on March 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by bongo_x at 12:19 AM on March 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
There's some stunningly good electronic music from Russia right now. I'd point to Ishome as well as John's Kingdom.
It seems trite to say that it seems born from suffering, just as British music from the 1980s was born out of such suffering, but maybe it is. I have no idea. The unreality of it seems to mesh with the post-modernist approach to statehood that Russia seems to be taking.
Then again, I have to take it all just as music, as I've no understanding or trustworthy access to the cultural context. I read the Calvert Journal and it's presenting such a consistently bleak portrait of Russia that I wonder if it is CIA-funded, just as the Partisan Review was.
Then again, maybe Russia is a really shit place to live right now.
posted by happyinmotion at 12:43 AM on March 27, 2016
It seems trite to say that it seems born from suffering, just as British music from the 1980s was born out of such suffering, but maybe it is. I have no idea. The unreality of it seems to mesh with the post-modernist approach to statehood that Russia seems to be taking.
Then again, I have to take it all just as music, as I've no understanding or trustworthy access to the cultural context. I read the Calvert Journal and it's presenting such a consistently bleak portrait of Russia that I wonder if it is CIA-funded, just as the Partisan Review was.
Then again, maybe Russia is a really shit place to live right now.
posted by happyinmotion at 12:43 AM on March 27, 2016
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The artist Jeff Boomhauer is also a cool cat.
posted by ACair at 12:12 PM on March 26, 2016