Tag Archives: mujuice

Electronica, Idm, Russia

MUJUICE – DOWNSHIFTING (Electronica/IDM – Russia)

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Considered one of the cornerstones of today’s Russian electronica, Roma Litvinov (aka Mujuice) combines the robotic glitches of modern electronic music with dense layers of natural sounds. He dissects sounds and creates a complex matrix of melodies and ambiences that owe a debt to jazz, techno and Shostakovich in equal measure.

His first productions, akin to early IDM and Berlin-style minimalist electronica, started getting considerable exposure when he was only 20 and he released his debut LP, Superqueer, just before his 21st birthday.  But Roma always felt uncomfortable with the IDM label as he didn’t think of himself as a strictly electronic producer. This is what he proved with his sophomore album Cool Cool Death (2007), which incorporates elements of acoustic jazz and rock, and what he keeps demonstrating with his most recent effort, Downshifting.

Mujuice - На Луне     

Released on March 25 on Soyuz Music, Downshifting is punchier and generally more uptempo than any previous Mujuice record. It still has Roma’s characteristically melancholy vocals but it also often bursts with energy. “На Луне” is a perfect example of this shift towards a livelier and bouncier sound.

Find Mujuice on MySpace. Buy his new album now on Downshifting - Mujuice

Electronica, Idm, Indie, Minimalist, mp3, Russia

MUJUICE – COOL COOL DEATH (Electronica/IDM – Russia)

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Mujuice is a Moscow-based artist who is at the forefront of electronica in Russia. In his music, he skillfully combines the robotic glitches of modern electronic music with dense layers of natural sounds. Working without a formal musical education, he started experimenting with electronica when  still a teenager and released his first LP, Superqueer, in 2004. His early works were sparsely arranged electronic compositions akin to European minimalist electronica (think Berlin avant-garde).

Mujuice - Backward Running     

Even though his music relies on sampling methods, Mujuice refuses to be labelled as a strictly electronic producer, believing that contemporary artists should use all available resources. Blurring the lines between genres, he borrows elements from acoustic jazz and pseudo-symphonic music but he also uses clicks’n’cuts, microsampling and glitch tech. His 2007 full-length Cool Cool Death bursts with energy, blending  layers of melody with vocals and pounding drum samples.

Mujuice - Mertviy Malchik     

Mujuice recently joined forces with fellow countryman Xuman (see our post about him HERE), contributing one new track to Xuman Records new Tales compilation. Tales is now available on Tales - Various Artists

You can sample more tracks by Mujuice and watch his videos on MySpace.

Club, Electro, mp3, Pop, Russia

XUMAN – PANIC (Electro/House – Russia)

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Hiding behind the moniker Xuman is Russian indie electro-rock musician and singer Alexander Xuman.

Alex started experimenting with music at an early age, recording his father’s guitar and his brother’s voice with a small Panasonic tape recorder. Even now, Alexander hasn’t lost his passion for experiments but he carries them out at a spacious recording studio with fellow musicians.

Xuman is deeply influenced by different genres in electronic music: house, minimal techno, electro, IDM… In the past ten years, Alexander has performed as a DJ in many clubs, in Russia and abroad, but he has also released several tracks and remixes. Not until 2007 did Alexander come to realise that the whole rock aesthetics was as important to him as dance culture and that he wanted to blend the two together in his project Xuman. He is now recording his first solo album, which should be out sometime this year, and he has graced us with the first single “Panic”. This track is catchy, fun and full of warm synth goodness – and what a hook!

Xuman - Panic     

Besides his solo project Xuman, Alex also plays an active part in electro trio The O and rock band Camel in Space. He is also behind a record label, which supports the work of other artists such as On-The-Go, Bajinda Behind The Enemy Lines and Mujuice. To get a glimpse of what the label puts out, check out the compilation Tales, now available on Tales - Various Artists