This is already the 4th album from this Russian duo of Igor ‘Grundik’
Kasyansky and Slava Smelovsky, and their first release with a
worldwide distribution trying to get more attention. These Russians
are obviously inspired by those little japanese lyric haiku
songs/poetry and that’s evident even from the cover of this CD
because it has one song from Issa (one of the most popular japanese
poets in this style, lived in 18th and 19th century) written on it.
Grundik + Slava’s music here is inspired by minimalism in general and
it’s not aiming to be experimental, cutting-edge or too inovative,
opposite of that, it’s just (too) simple, pleasant and soothing.
That’s not bad, but somehow it lacks new ideas and freshness. It also
has repetitive moments, specially between the tracks when too often
the same or similar very small birdy sounds appear, maybe like a
tribute to Issa’a fascination with mosquitos, insects and all things
small. But in this music it’s becoming a not so interesting pattern
between the tracks. The music is fragile, sometimes it’s like coming
from a russian melancolic fairy tale cartoon. Maybe Grundik + Slava
should be more edgy…? Or put more new ideas, dynamics and intensity
in their music. Being simple is not enough here and it leads to
absence of some really interesting musical contents. On the other
hand, this music is still pleasant, but it’s just that. I’d grade it
with 3 out of 5. (BR)
Ak duck news no.2, Grundik+Slava and Ambidextrous split
…The collaborations between Grundik & Slava and Ambidextrous gave birth to a classic I.D.M album – one that provides ambience and “meaning”. It is an Electronic album with a clear link to the warm, basic melodies&beats of the early – mid Nineties / the flowering Ambient-House scene (Orb, Orbital, Spooky). In “Split” the artists take the Electronic tradition on which they were raised and combine, with emotion, with current musical themes. The musical range of the album is wide – between gentle Synths, German – 80′s electro & early 90′s Autechre style hip hop brakes. All that in direct connection to the current fertile Intelligent Electronica scene in Russia (novel 23, eu) whose sound is categorized by a winning combination between Ambient loops, gentle Electro-pop melodies and multi-layered textures/Industrialized micro-sounds… …this one goes between ambient and more clasic IDM electronica. our last collaboration with fact records. we want to remind all that all ak duck releases are available in most indie shops and also online via: www.factrecords.co.il www.normanrecords.com
Side-Line, for electronics and birds, 29.07.2004
Grundik+Slava are the collaboration between two electronic musicians and sound-artists Grundik Igor Kasyansky and Slava Smelovsky. They got together in 1994 in Tel-Aviv and quickly emerged as the key figures in the Israeli experimental electronic music scene. Their record “Polise” was even voted “best Israeli electronic album of the year” by major Israeli newspapers Maariv and Ha-Aretz in 2000. Grundik and Slava have released several CD’s in Israel and Germany. On their 4th album “… for Electronics and Birds”, the first one to be released outside Israel, the duo brings a collection of clean soundscapes here and there mixed with ethnic ingredients that enrich the otherwise very sterile ambience. Not really for my ears though because it lacks of dissonant elements for some reason. www.stateart.de
16.07.04 Grundik (electronics, shortwave radio, rainstick) and Petrovich (tuba, flugelhorn)
16.07.04 Grundik (electronics, shortwave radio, rainstick) and Petrovich (tuba, flugelhorn) at Cave gallery 58 Grand Street, Brooklyn
15.07.04 8pm. At the Galapagos Art Space
15.07.04 8pm. At the Galapagos Art Space/ 70 North 6th Street Williamsburg, Brooklyn Grundik (electronics, shortwave radio) participates at The Psychasthenia Society.
The Psychasthenia Society, hosted by Jon Keith Brunelle, is a program of storytelling, video, and music mediated by portable electronics, featuring some of the best work by New York artists whose instruments are laptop computers and related devices
Gothtronic, for electronics and birds
This cd is very special. On this cd bird- and sounds of nature are merged into clear sounding electronic compositions. This is already the fourth cd of the Russian-American Grundik + Slava and this is the first one distributed worldwide. The sound colours and patterns are very pleasurable and the music feels like a warm bath or the sun of the first days of spring. The music is harmonic with nice atmospheres and melancholic sounds. The image that is invoked by the music is that of an awakening richly flourishing nature. Sometimes you’ll notice Oriental elements, underlined by the singing of Victoria Hanna, who’s not afraid to throw in some jazzy pieces. This is a cd for the lover of pure and honest music that aims straight for the heart and soul. A fresh wind blows through the mind of the listener while listening to the music after which you feel reborn. This is a very good achievement. Check this!
D-side Magazine, July issue, 2004
D-side Magazine, July issue, 2004
27.06.04 The Russian American Cultural Center in association with Balaklava/Eastern European Poets Series
27.06.04 The Russian American Cultural Center in association with Balaklava/Eastern European Poets Series monthly reading presents Russian Writers and Artists in New York City at the Bowery Poetry Club/ 308 Bowery
hosted by: Marina Temkina
readings by: Keith Gessen ~ Philip Nikolayev ~ Genya
Turovskaya ~ Ellen Litman ~ Matvei Yankelevich ~ Tovy Harhur ~ Mark Berelekhis ~ Pavel Lembersky ~ Igor Satanovsky ~ Val Vinokurov (readings mostly in English, a few in Russian w/ translations)
art by: Stephanie Shinkarev ~ Anna Pulvermakher
music by: Arcady “Petrovich” Freeman – flugelhorn & Igor Grundik Kasyansky – electronics, radio (=2 generations of creative Russian music in electro-acoustic improvisation) plus Psoy Korolenko