On her ethereal new album “Ariadna”, minimal techno producer Kedr Livanskiy demonstrates how universal and marvellously ambiguous this music can be.
Yana Kedrina, the person behind Kedr Livanskiy, has appeared out of nowhere, but she’s quickly become one of a few contemporary Russian artists who’ve gained international recognition.
It is also a rare example of synths-driven post-techno that, in some mysterious way, retains its warm sound thanks to a dreamlike atmosphere and Kedrina’s ghostly vocals.
Kedr Livanskiy new album, called “Ariadna” (ариадна) came out in September via 2MR label, and has already been praised worldwide by a range of outlets – and we’re happy to add our own recommendation.
Even before “Ariadna” was released, the Moscow-based artist preceded it with an official video for the spellbinding eponymous song “Ariadna”. Directed by Masha Demianova, the clip starred Kedrina herself.
That first video has been recently followed by another one, this time for “Your Name”. Co-directed by Konstantin Bushmanov and Kedrina herself, it features her friends as well as some fans who agreed to take part in the shooting.
“We wanted to create a classic teen drama and capture the mood of being young in 2003-2005, when your parents would send you outside of the city to your dacha for the summer,” Kedrina explained in an interview. “At that age, everyone’s concern was only how to get wasted and hook up with a girl or guy without your parents finding out.”
As the days are getting darker and colder in the northern hemisphere, Kedr Livanskiy’s seemingly arctic music, yet intimate after a few listens, might actually warm you up a little bit.
Stream “Ariadna” LP on Bandcamp Spotify.
*
Kedr Livanskiy on Facebook, Soundcloud, Instagram, Bandcamp.