Yney - "Antarctina"
(Electroshock Records 2004, ELCD 041)
Yney - "Antarctina"
(Electroshock Records 2004, ELCD 041)
Uploaded to Aural Innovations: June 2004
Now here's something different for the Electroshock label. Yney (which means "hoar-frost"... go figure) is the Moscow based trio of Jury Orlov, Igor Shaposhnikov and Andrew Kireev, who play cosmic, melodic, beat driven electronic music. Reading the detailed bios on the Electroshock web site reveals that the musicians have explored a wide range of musical styles including avant-garde and experimental music, but also hip-hop, techno, acid-house, tape-looping and rock.
The 12 minute "Appearance from Above" opens the CD and sets the tone for the set, beginning with a few minutes of space wandering before a throbbing bass and toe tapping percussion kick in. It's got a robotic Kraftwerk styled feel, though the much freer percussion loosens things up considerably. My body couldn't help but move as the music developed, and I could almost hear "I'm the operator of my pocket calculator" in my head, though Yney inject a lot more freaky bubbly alien sounds into their mix than Kraftwerk ever did. The track blends seamlessly into "Stroll", a bouncy, spaced out, electro percussion driven groove tune. Though there are 8 tracks the CD really plays like one continuous stream of music, which of course is the case in the clubs where dancers go non-stop until dawn. I don't frequent dance clubs but I would guess that ultimately Yney's music is far too dreamy for real dancing, being much more conducive to chilling out and just letting your body move to the groove and your mind disengage to explore realms beyond. Yney incorporate other influences, including various ethnic stylings, Dub and Reggae, the heart & brain throbbing bass pulse being the constant throughout. And even when the techno pulse is at its most overt the alien elements are simultaneously at their most freaky. A fun set and far more challenging than most dance music you'll hear.
For more information you can visit the Electroshock Records web site at: http://www.electroshock.ru.
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Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz