Once you fall into the underworld of Russian house music, there really is no turning back. You find yourself on a rainy never-ending night in the warehouse distrinct, and behind the door to each building are talented DJs like Mucity lighting up the dancefloor with tracks that offer a fresh take on classic floor-filling grooves.
In addition to an extensive solo output, Mucity also keeps busy by cutting up hard acidic techno as a member of TOK and interlacing Italo disco with EBM as part of the duo Love Object. Mucity’s latest solo project, Russian Edits, consists of five remixes with a delicious old-school house flavour and arrives on May 23, 2021.
Mucity joined HotK for a quick chat about the release, Italo disco, and the creative process. You can read the interview below.
HotK: These edits are of tracks made by several different artists, but is there a common theme that ties these songs together?
Mucity: The only theme that is common in these edits is the commitment to the eclectic Russian soul that lies deeply even in pop songs.
I’m intrigued by this eclectic Russian soul that you mention. Would you be able to further describe this soulfulness and how it manifests within music?
I think it can’t be described by words, but you can just feel it through music and probably by any kind of russian art.
Of these five edits, is there one that is particularly special or a personal favourite of yours?
I think Volchica is the favourite one. It’s an edit on oldschool trip-hop project Linda.
How does your approach to creating a track differ when creating a remix in comparison to creating an original song?
Well, if you have to make a track using an original acapella, you still need to keep in mind that it is still part of the melody. Of course you can chop it the way you like, but some parts of the original DNA will still remain and will be used as building blocks to a new melody. In my edits I tend to remake the melody completely, so it’s not a cover, but a unique new piece.
How do your solo work and collaborative projects influence each other?
I`m more concentrated on my band work right now, last year was pretty rough, so you got to set your priorities first. In some time I might be publishing some of my solo work, but i bet it will be something completely different.
I read in another interview that you are known as a “collector of Italo disco and synth music of all stripes.” For those who are unfamiliar with Italo disco, where would you recommend going to get started with the genre?
It`s all started with Giorgio Moroder (even for me), so i might recommend that, but what is popular now is the sound of the more late Italo Disco, that perhaps you can hear from DJ-sets of David Vunk and Palms Trax, you might find something there, but the best way i think is to start digging discogs and compilations from 80-ies era – you need to remember it used to be a pop music first of all, so it was really popular and there is a lot evidence left.
Who are some of your favourite artists in the Russian underground that the rest of the world needs to start listening to?
It`s hard to point out somebody exactly, there are so many artists right now and all are doing their best, i would like not to favor anyone exactly!
Russian Edits arrives on May 23, 2021. Grab a copy of the release here and follow Mucity on Soundcloud and Instagram.