Russia, 2005, chamber folk / avant-folk
The lyrics are the radical poetry of Alexander Vvedensky; the gruff vocals the growled and whispered utterances of Leonid Federov, reluctant rock star; the fiery, avant-garde music partially by double bassist Vladimir Volkov; featuring the genius of the illimitable Vladimir Martynov; performed by the Opus Posth ensemble, who worked under Martynov’s composition and direction before. These names are starting to make sense to me the more I listen to Russian music. It’s a slow but rewarding process. This album is one of those documents where the experimental and unorthodox are used to evoke the potential of musical tradition. I recommend wearing opaque glasses while listening to this, and if you have any incense handy, light it.
Museum Musica 