In “proper” Russian, Стук Бамбука в XI Часов – Лёгкое Дело Холод.
Today’s piece of music is an old favorite of mine, an almost-lost electronica album from Izhevsk, a large industrial city (and birthplace of the AK-47), nestled in Russia’s Ural mountains, which mark the traditionally accepted border between Europe and Asia. My best translation of the band name is “Bamboo Knock at 11 o clock”, and the album title as “Easy Cold Case”. The cover is also one of my favorites, a high-contrast monochrome image which leads one to speculate as to what connection it has to the music, if any.
source: rateyourmusic.com
Despite my describing the musical style as electronica, this certainly isn’t your average Saturday night dance track. The music within is understated, often beatless, and contemplative in tone. On Sneg Med (snow honey) for example, tender wispy female vocals weave in and out of industrial-style sound effects and swirling, bucolic synthesizer lines before ending with a short melancholy piano phrase. What results is a heavily atmospheric piece that aims for the emotions in subtle and distinct way.
Indeed this is ambient music as much as electronic music. Excepting the remixes added to the 2001 version of the album (which are fantastic in their own right) this is an inviting yet mysterious album, painting shadowy, crepuscular sonic landscapes that swallow the listener in the best way possible. Every so often shades of techno come in, as in the short drum and bass patterns on Loskutok (scrap of cloth), but the sonic toolbox is incredibly wide and eclectic, mixing in piano and sharp, dissonant sound effects. Atmosphere precedes everything here, and the result is an album which is simultaneously warm and cold, relaxing but unnerving, approachable yet bold, and alien while somehow eerily familiar.
Stuk Bambuka v XI Chasov emerged in the heart of Russia during the dying days of the USSR. Rock icons including Boris Grebenshikov and Yegor Letov had already brought confrontational music to the forefront of public attention by then, but this group wasn’t part of the rock scene. Indeed this is the only piece of music SBvXIC (a horrible acronym, I know) made, which is a real shame given its quality. Fans of experimental music may be best equipped to digest this, but I’d feel comfortable recommending Legkoe Delo Kholod to anyone with an ounce of musical adventurousness.
This is interesting… I’ve always had a bit of a disposition towards modern Russian musicians as experimental at their tamest, and insane at their wildest. This album sounds intriguing. It sounds as though they were trying to confuse their listeners with such conflicting themes that you’ve mentioned. I may have to check this album out later. Maybe I’ll find a new love.