Uninvited GOST

The prize winner Sergei Kurekhin Stas “HMOT” Sharifullin monitors a new electronic (and not only) music.

Today, Label GOST Sound is officially starting - another site designed to support domestic musicians and continue the gradually forming traditions of a local electronic underground: vinyl records that are published in a limited edition, which is not available in the “figure” of music and all that comes with this hand.

Together with the founder of label Ildar Zaynetdinov, known under the LowBob pseudonym , Stas Sharifullin understood what was the difference between the underground and the avant -garde, where our musicians look for national identity and what is in common with dance music with Shostakovich symphonies.

The first record of GOST was recorded by Alexei Nikitin, aka Nocow ,-a musician from St. Petersburg, this time produced under his real name in order to support the concept of the label.

- Let's start with terminology. What is underground at all?

-You know, the concept is blurred, but its essence is somehow read. If this is music, then for a small party, where there is no desire to like absolutely everyone and, for example, conquer MTV . Something like: “We are good in our world, and if you and I are on the way-welcome aboard!” Moreover, no one is deliberately fenced, everything happens naturally; You create your own world simply because you like to create worlds. And then you invite you to look into it those who may be interesting. If, ultimately, the abstract MTV is interested in this world - why not.

- And what's wrong with everyone?

- Just in such a context, no one consciously strives for this. There is some line behind which a mass culture begins and which is completely sad. Often the basement musicians crossed her and go to the wild mainstream, but often happens and vice versa - when the artist writes music simply because he cannot not write it; Note your line. I think the last album of Omar S is just about it. Probably, it sounds a little strange, but I am for the underground to remain an underground, with its audience. Such a mini-club in interests, which on a global scale may well turn into a large family.

The underground does not pretend to be a solution to the super -assad, he is simply comfortable in the district with his boys.

- That is, this is about elitism?

- Well, yes, only this is more likely such marginal elitism. You must go the path, like all of us, and no one will pass it for you. Not because all are harmful, but because it works like that - you must let through the whole story through yourself.

-What, in your opinion, is the difference between underground and avant-garde?

- The underground in my personal coordinate system is about the natural targeting of a niche segment, and the avant -garde is about a fresh thought or an interesting combination of other people's ideas into a new product. That is, in the first case, a niche is deliberately selected - its environment. And for the second, I would say that the final audience is not so fundamental, it is rather a shot into the air. The underground does not pretend to be a solution to the super -assad, he is simply comfortable in the district with his boys; Its main goal is to remain honest with himself. Well, the vanguard has to deal with a narrow audience by default - really thinking people who are open to a new one.

- That is, today, it turns out, the mass culture has won? Is music no longer able to change the world?

- I believe that music is not crucial in society. It can be insulting and unpleasant for someone, but this must be admitted. The music will not answer the questions of being and will not satisfy the basic needs, but it can somehow decorate your life, convey emotions that cannot be conveyed by any other means, and so on. In this context, she, of course, changes the world. And here I do not see any defeat or stagnation, on the contrary, continuous progress.

- What is this progress expressed?

- The technical revolution plus the availability of information enable everyone to show the world what he is capable of and what is. Thanks to this, we get a huge number of new musicians and composers, thoughts and ideas. I really think that in general, music is good for music now. A boiling occurs constantly, and many examples: the evolution of Dabstep, explosions of Bit Bays Scenes, the same Juke. Before our eyes, whole genres are born and evolved. Time accelerated.

- Let's get back a little. So you say that music is not crucial in the life of society. I immediately recall the mass of countermers-for example, the “Leningrad” symphony of Shostakovich, which has become a kind of ideological weapon during the blockade.

- Yes, this is a very important function, but it is rather utilitarian; inspire and distract. Consider, for this, people come to the club - switch, relax, and be in another world. Look at Ukraine - what kind of music is there, what parties?! Everything was canceled, because there are problems much more important. Although the Wicked Bass friendly label on Friday bombed the event-what do you think, maybe this is already an indicator of some stability?

- About Ukraine. Recently, a collection of dance music " MIR " has been published . Why then is he needed at all if he is not able to change anything?

- “ Mir ” is a demonstration of friendship and involvement: “We, the musicians of Russia, love our Ukrainian colleagues and are friends with them; We want peace on earth, we want to write our muzon, play it and hang out together. ” This is a collection outside of politics, it is about love between the two peoples, which are essentially one. Such a collection will not be able to stop or, conversely, untie the war, it is rather an expression of feelings.

In the history of our country, there are a lot of both beautiful and ugly.

- By the way, about "Russianness". Here is aesthetics Is your label - is it Russian or rather Soviet?

- Definitely Russian. In the history of our country, there are a lot of both beautiful and ugly. The very concept of GOST in its original meaning is the rules and bureaucracy, some kind of dictatorship. But, on the other hand, this is a quality guarantee. In general, I would like to find this balance between beauty and vulgarity, but it will turn out - we'll see there. It seems to me that today we have blurred national identity, and in music it is especially noticeable. As if we have nothing to cling to, although in fact this “something” is mountains, we just need to raise everything and do everything “legitimate”.

- The visual part - the Cyrillic alphabet in the design of the record and so on - does it also play an important role here?

- Certainly. Well, for me personally, the visual part is generally very important. What looks beautiful, usually sounds good. For example, Madlib does not hesitate to talk about what often chooses the plates on the cover. And in this regard, I was very lucky to work with my guys with Vav Street - we have been together for many years and quickly understand how this or that musical statement should be applied visually. For example, we wanted to start with the simplest image - stupid, like a hammer; So that there is nothing but music and an understanding of exactly where it was produced. Hence the Cyrillic alphabet. By the way, my eyes were opened on her back in the early 2000s, our graffiti team “Why!”. At a time when everyone around was actively copying Europe and the United States, they showed how beautifully and consciously working with the Cyrillic alphabet may look. Our next release will be to some extent more “Russians”, but again Lubok is not an end in itself.

- Then what is the goal of Gosta as a label?

- Demonstrate the local cut of relevant composer thought (laughs) . Show that we have our talents, vision, history and culture and that it is reflected in music. Seriously, I believe that we have a lot of cool guys, and in the world we will learn more and more and begin to respect our stage. And this is only the beginning.

The “GOST001” record with the music of Alexei Nikitin can be purchased at Juno .

The next release of GOST will be released in May of this year; This time, the label will be represented by the AEM Rhythm Cascade project. The abbreviation in the name is deciphered as “Electronic music ensemble”; However, this is the initiative of one person - Petersburger Evgeny Fadeev , also working under the pseudonymers Flaty and Dada Ques.

Listen to GOST002: AEM "Rhythm Cascade"