Time to reflect on 2023.
It was… an interesting year. I switched focus to some other things rather than being fully concentrated on music and as a result, I got less going on in the industry which I care about the most. However, I’m happy to share something interesting I managed to achieve!
With my record label NCTMMRN we did only three releases this year, but I am very happy and honoured to work with these amazing artists!
NCT023 Live at Vuotalo by Tottumiskysymys (Finland)
NCT024 enormous height above us by mycenae bottom (Russia/Israel)
NCT025 And There Thy Flight Dissolved From View by Luke Martin & James Creed (USA/UK)
Thank you for your trust in NCTMMRN and sorry for all the delays with parcels this year!
In terms of my own career, the main releases in 2023 were:
– a composition created for legendary Poverty Electronics (USA) compilation: “I Whisper In Cycles”
– an album which we created together with Egbert van der Vliet (Netherlands) as a new collaboration project Concrete Blanket: “Sink Composition”
– a composition with incredible project Lärmschutz (Netherlands) for Sombre Soniks (UK) “Calling A Name”
– I finally released a new album with my electronic music production project Virta Nerva “There is Light Somewhere”
– I did not forget about my mighty Animi Vultus and did a single track release “Jorden Bränner Dig” with an amazing guest singer
– continuing the topic of black metal we finally released an album “The Dead Outnumber” which was recorded a few years back with the band Zhertvoprinosheniya (Sacrifices)
– finally, 8 years later, we reconnected with my soul brother Trishay Trada to create not only a new project but also to release a full-on improvisational instrumental album Riverburn: 8
I am very honoured and happy to say that the short movie “The Alchemist“ (by Alexey Erberg) passed the selection for the International Festival of Contemporary Dance Art “VOICE OF THE BODY 2023” St. Petersburg!
Also, in 2023 our music video for the track “mysteria” which was released to support the new Virta Nerva album “There is Light Somewhere” was selected to participate in Festival del Cinema di Cefalù 2023!!!
Of course, I also would like to mention that I did do some sound work for mixing/editing and mastering sound for the movie “Dedication to the Teacher” by Stepan Lubimov and he (Stepan) also used my track (Virta Nerva) in his other project “SLACKLINE IN PARIS”.
On a side note, I am super happy that Poverty Electronics Vol. 10 was reviewed in The Wire – September 2023 (Issue 475) by Emily Bick!
Now it is time to reflect on one of my biggest achievements, it took me 10 years and it was not easy but in 2023 I officially became an Australian! I wish to take the chance and thank my family and all friends for supporting me in this journey.
I am incredibly grateful for all the opportunities 2023 gave me and to all the people I met along the way. I have many projects already “cooking” so stay tuned for 2024, more music and art is coming!
I hope that 2024 will be better than 2023 but most importantly I wish all of us the most fragile thing of today’s world – peace.
Stay safe, healthy and creative!
Happy 2024!!!
