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Mikhail Chekalin. Post​-​Pop - Non​-​Pop.

by Mikhail Chekalin / Михаил Чекалин

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Digital reissue of Melodiya LP (1988) and also MIR/Eurock (2016) CD-reissue with bonus tracks.
October 13 2017

Mikhail Chekalin – Det undervurderede, post-impressionistiske geni bag jernt?ppet
(Det Glemte Guld – En serie af Mikkel Kongstad) “Post-Pop-Non-Pop” er en art udknaldet, men dragende og n?rmest melodisk, elektronisk symfoni, der bestar af kompositioner fra perioden 1984-1987. Chekalin fremstar som en gal troldmand, hvis trylleeliksir, netop er blevet spildt pa gulvet og herfra vokser den ene bizarre soniske skabning efter den anden op af jorden og vralter manisk koreograferet rundt med armene i vejret. Musikken er brygget pa et obskurt mix af dansegulvs?ggende synth-arpeggi, nojsomt koordinerede og ordlose vokal-rablerier, mundperkussion, trommemaskiner og musique concrete-agtige lunser af forvredne synths flettet ind i en r?kke multi-lagrede lydtapeter, der i overvejende grad opererer i et enten weird vuggende dansegulvs-tempo eller i et elektronisk udsplattet og pulslost, ambient rum.
Dette er et pa alle mader vildt v?rk, der eksisterer et sted i krydsfeltet mellem tidlig Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, Morton Subotnick, Edward Artemiev og Wendy Carlos. Det er abstrakt, kosmisk elektronisk musik med et touch af musique concrete, new-age og klassisk. Og sa alligevel er v?rket gennemsyret af Chekalins ikonoklastiske tilgang og de post-impressionistiske syntetiseringer, der gor, at man konstant overraskes undervejs pa pladen. For eksempel, nar man undervejs stoder pa den lille ordlose acapella “Genetic Code”, hvor Chekalin synger duet med sig selv takket v?ret evighedsrumklang. Eller nar man bliver v?kket af den udknaldede electro-tango pa “Erotic Fish Marouani” ved pladens afslutning. Og sa er der selvfolgelig albummets centrale sk?ringer i form af de n?rmest poppede “Ecstatic Lullaby” (der er tilmed, i tidens and, lavet en ret moderne musikvideo til) og “Torn Page”, der begge lyder som en Peter Gabriel-produktion fort gennem et synt(h)etisk musique concrete-filter, og derudover er det v?rd at fremh?ve de n?sten Berlinerskole-venlige “Origin Of Species” og “After The Sound”.
Mikhail Chekalin har over 40 udgivelser pa CV’et, der efter n?rv?rende signaturs mode med en solid handfuld af dem (der er til at opstove fysisk eller digitalt), synes at have det til f?lles, at Chekalin har en en um?ttelig appetit for at videreudvikle egen lyd og undersoge potentialet i at opbygge nye territorier ved hj?lp af nye syntetiseringer. Der er i al fald sj?ldent noget formularisk over Chekalins musik, der konsekvent fastholder sin egen aparte selvst?ndighed og bastardisering af velkendte troper og kompositionelle regler. Saledes er Chekalins bagkatalog er et overv?ldende skattekammer af elektroniske symfonier, kammermusik, elektronisk og psykedelisk musik, sagar jazz og rock-eksperimenter.
Den russiske komponist er utvivlsomt en af en af de mest radikale og innovative synth-troldm?nd ikke bare i Rusland, men i det hele taget. Det er ikke uden grund, at Oneohtrix Point Never har fremh?vet Chekalin som en af de mest undervurderede elektroniske komponister. Det paradoksale er netop, at vi pa denne side af Berlinmuren kun er ved at finde ud af det nu. Dette skyldes i hoj grad Sovjetunionens kulturelle protektionisme og det anstrengte forhold til musikalske eksperimenter og innovation, hvor staten har en n?rmest arhundrede lang tradition for at holde udvikling og private initiativer nede,<...>"
(passiveaggressive.dk/mikhail-chekalin-det-post-impressionistiske-undervurderede-geni-bag-jerntaeppet/)

POST-POP - NON-POP
Original LP (P)1989 Melodia label USSR + bonus tracks. Mikhail Chekalin - synthesizers, voice, piano. Recorded in 1980-1987.

Mikhail Chekalin LP Reissues. Mikhail Chekalin has been one of the most influential modern
composers of the last 35 years in the former USSR, now Russia. His work was experimental; in fact, his raison d’etre was specifically to break new ground stylistically. He worked outside the
boundaries of established culture, while at the same time breaching its borders when possible to
expose his art and music to the people at large.
Over the span of his long career, Chekalin has produced some 40+ works that range the sonic
spectrum for post-pop, to free jazz, electronic, and post-symphonic. During the 1980’s, he made a breakthrough of sorts when the state owned "Melodiya" label released several albums of his music. For the most part, however he created art and produced music underneath the radar.
Between 2005 and 2010, MIR Records in the USA released eight productions devoted to works by
Chekalin. The label produced four CDs and four DVDs bringing his work to an entirely new worldwide audience.
This new installment of albums changes the label focus to feature re-mastered reissues of his
influential albums released by the state owned Melodiya label during the 1980’s. The music on those albums covers a wide stylistic spectrum from the diverse experimental beat-influenced electronic music of "Vocalise in Rapid" (1984), and avant-garde progressive rock and post-symphonic experiments of "Post-Pop Non-Pop" (1987), to the dense, ambient, neo-classic space music compositions for keyboard on "Meditative Music for Prepared Electric Organ I & II" (1979-1982).

During this period Chekalin’s development as a composer is stunning. As he enters the 1990’s his
sound has advanced light years from its beginnings. As the listener experiences his ersonal
musical progression through the years, they are in fact hearing an audio documentation of the social history of Russia.
The life of true artist, in music and art, in the entire Eastern Bloc was hardly about making
money, but instead simply keeping their creative spirit alive during totalitarian times. In many
ways, experimental music was an integral part of that ultimately changing. In Chekalin’s case, it
was certainly true. The social dynamic of those times is clearly in evidence in the intensity and
emotional power of his music.
-A. Patterson

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released May 28, 2019

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Mikhail Chekalin / Михаил Чекалин Moscow, Russia

Mikhail Chekalin is one of those. Arguably he is the most influential modern composer of the last 35 years in the former USSR, now Russia.
Over the span of his career Chekalin has produced some 30+ works that range the sonic spectrum for Post Pop, to free-jazz, electronic, and Post Symphonic. While his music was known to me since the 1980s/

Archie Patterson. Eurock
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