I was recently contacted, and offered a tune as a potential give-away. The tune was by Delete and Gasface (who we interviewed recently) so naturally, I took them up on their offer immediately. I managed to score a pretty sweet interview with Delete too, to add a bit of meat to the delicious, delicious bones provided by the free track, 'Pulcinella's Secret'...
NT: Hi, can you give us an introduction to Delete?
D: Hi.
I produce experimental electronic music under the name of Delete.
Was born and still live in a small Russian town near Moscow.
Delete - A Letter To God
NT: How long have you been producing? Who or what influences your music?
D: I started to make beats when I was 14. Back then I was addicted to the hip-hop scene. 90's oldschool stuff such as House of Pain, Cypress Hill, The Pharcyde etc.
D: Hi.
I produce experimental electronic music under the name of Delete.
Was born and still live in a small Russian town near Moscow.
Delete - A Letter To God
NT: How long have you been producing? Who or what influences your music?
D: I started to make beats when I was 14. Back then I was addicted to the hip-hop scene. 90's oldschool stuff such as House of Pain, Cypress Hill, The Pharcyde etc.
I couldn't understand the words (I’m still not that good at English), so later I focused on the beat production.
I started to seek instrumental beat music, and in 2002 I heard an album "The Message at the Depth" by Japanese DJ/producer DJ Krush. That was a revelation to me. I never thought beat music could sound so fresh, innovative and so intense. That record opened a door to a new musical world for me. Of course it affected my production as I started to move slowly from instrumental hip-hop to more experimental stuff.
Years later, in 2007, I found Burial and his "Untrue" album. Another momentous discovery! I remember listening to it 24/7, with a completely out of this world feeling at just how alienated that music was and still is! It still feels like it was written by some alien who died shortly after or escaped this messy planet! Soon I began to look for the same sound and I must say four to five years ago it was pretty hard to find something similar.
At the end I came to a pretty obvious solution - I started to produce this kind of music by myself.
Delete - Left To Wander
NT: Can you tell us a little about the releases you've put out previously?
D: In 2008 I found a small Russian net-label, "Liminal Recs", which was releasing experimental electronic music like IDM, trip-hop, dark ambient and even noise. (Also these guys put out really nice Silent Hill-inspired compilations called "Okaeri". If you're fan of Akira Yamaoka music you should check it, no doubt.) A Ccuple of months later, I sent them my demo and they approved it.
I started to seek instrumental beat music, and in 2002 I heard an album "The Message at the Depth" by Japanese DJ/producer DJ Krush. That was a revelation to me. I never thought beat music could sound so fresh, innovative and so intense. That record opened a door to a new musical world for me. Of course it affected my production as I started to move slowly from instrumental hip-hop to more experimental stuff.
Years later, in 2007, I found Burial and his "Untrue" album. Another momentous discovery! I remember listening to it 24/7, with a completely out of this world feeling at just how alienated that music was and still is! It still feels like it was written by some alien who died shortly after or escaped this messy planet! Soon I began to look for the same sound and I must say four to five years ago it was pretty hard to find something similar.
At the end I came to a pretty obvious solution - I started to produce this kind of music by myself.
Delete - Left To Wander
NT: Can you tell us a little about the releases you've put out previously?
D: In 2008 I found a small Russian net-label, "Liminal Recs", which was releasing experimental electronic music like IDM, trip-hop, dark ambient and even noise. (Also these guys put out really nice Silent Hill-inspired compilations called "Okaeri". If you're fan of Akira Yamaoka music you should check it, no doubt.) A Ccuple of months later, I sent them my demo and they approved it.
At the end of 2009 came out my first record - "ФЭА" ("FEA"). It was a free download release, with a Russian tracklisting and it was mostly promoted in Russian music blogs. I'm not into Internet stuff, so I’m not aware of the reaction to it. As far as I know, that was one of the first "Burial-style" records released on post-USSR territory.
In 2010, I received a message from Eugene Kush - a trip-hop / ambient producer from Novosibirsk (it's in Siberia, kids) - asking for a collab. I agreed, and couple of months later we had 5 tracks, which were released soon as the "Ottepel" EP (The 6th track was produced by Eugene himself). This is also a free download, you can grab it whenever you want here.
In 2011 my latest release came out - the "Quid Timeas?" EP. Basically it’s a compilation of re-edited outtakes and B-sides from the "FEA" album. For example, the first demo sketch of "M8" which was written in 2008.
An EP was released through Polish net-label "Apparition Recordings" (they also re-released "FEA" for non-Russian listeners). That was five tracks including one remix. Surprisingly it was noticed by various well-known DJs & producers: Clubroot, DFRNT, Solitude and others.
Also I must mention my collaboration work with Lithuanian producer Sotus. Together we've made 3 great tracks and hopefully some more to come. Big up Sotus!
Delete - Natasha
NT: Do you have any releases coming soon?
D: Oh yes! I've got a full length album coming out this June (hopefully) on Mindtrick Records. It's gonna be a CD/digital/vinyl release with remixes from various producers. It's called "Predatory Things of a Minute", which is a paraphrase of a legendary science fiction novel written by Strugatsky brothers in 1965. The novel is famous for its prediction of "dark sides" in the future consumerism society: terrorism, corruption, drugs, virtual reality escapism (aka "Internet neurosis"), compulsory tolerance etc. Anti-utopia then - reality now.
The record itself tells a story of a man who witnessed the death of his own homeland. That catastrophe affected his soul and mind so much he never recovered ever since. From that moment he lives in his own damaged reality, hallucinating, bringing back memories that actually never happened. Sounds creepy and too pathetic maybe, but I’ve just tried to embrace what's going on in a mind of an average post-USSR citizen who couldn't deal with crush of USSR. Millions of people forever trapped in that moment: A Soviet Silent Hill. Anyway, after all you can always just hit play & think about your own stuff :)
On a musical side it's a predictably dark & raw record, way more darker than "FEA" was. I didn't want it to sound like that, it's just... a natural flow I guess. It doesn't mean the whole record is about hate and anger of course, I pictured a lot of emotions, even happiness and love. At the end there's always some place for hope.
NT: Can you give us a few words about your tune with Gasface?
D: Jermaine sent me a demo track for a collab. Originally it sounded more like "Lonely" (featured on the Deep Lane compilation): tempo, rhythm, song structure etc. 100% Gasface tune! I decided to make something different, so it all turned 180. Weird 3/4 beat, changed chords, vocals line, Russian voice samples etc. You can say the roots are from Gasface and branches are mine. Luckily Jermaine approved of my work.
As for the title - Pulcinella is a classical character from Italian comedy. "Pulcinella's secret" basically means an "Open secret", the thing that everybody knows (except for Pulcinella himself).
Overall I think every comedian character has its own deep dramatic side also. For Pulcinella it's eternal loneliness, just because of his mean & vicious temperament. And probably the most dramatic thing is that he knows it.
NT: Finally, can you tell us your 3 favourite "Night Tracks"?
D: Hard to decide. For now it is:
Burial - Nite Train
I live not far from a train station, so almost every night I can hear trains passing by. Nuff said.
Burial - Nite Train
I live not far from a train station, so almost every night I can hear trains passing by. Nuff said.
DJ Krush - Crimson
Very meditative and somehow warm tune. Perfect to listen when it’s 2AM and you’re sitting in front of your old PC with a cup of hot tea. Repeat.
OST Diablo - Tristram Theme
Out of line a little bit, but this melody is a pure treasure to me since 1996. Magic, mystery & melancholy.
NT: Thank you so much for your time, and big up to you and Gasface for the free tune, which you can grab by clicking here or on the artwork below...
Production: Gasface & Delete
Design: T. Kelle
Photography: L. McArthur
Out of line a little bit, but this melody is a pure treasure to me since 1996. Magic, mystery & melancholy.
NT: Thank you so much for your time, and big up to you and Gasface for the free tune, which you can grab by clicking here or on the artwork below...
Production: Gasface & Delete
Design: T. Kelle
Photography: L. McArthur