Parks and Recreation: Parks, Squares and Alleys and his music of inner romantic

Parks, Squares and Alleys is one-man band from Khabarovsk, Russia. His genre changes from romantic indie-pop and folk to warm noise (and all of these tracks are filled by youth, beauty and lo-fi). His noise tracks rip something from the deep of the heart like Oneohtrix Point Never sketches and pop and folk songs are remind me something from childhood when all was so sweet and cheerful. His new EP will be released somewhen soon and I decided that it's good reason to make an interview with Sergei. So here it is.
UPD: Check the link for his new EP in the end of the post.


Why you took this band name? Is it connected with fact that your music could be described as "cityward"?

There were times when project has name "Walrus Meditation", I was huge fan of "Sonic Youth", and once I was looking through their discography and stumbled on "Hits Are For Squares" compilation and decided to take new band name by analogy. It's also an association with parks and squares of NY — bands from Big Apple always were my inspiration source. I've never been to New York but I really want to. Partly, I was trying to transmit atmosphere and sounds of that city in my noise tracks.

As I could see, now your tracks are moving toward lo-fi folk direction — your new EP will be in this genre?

Mostly, yes, but I don't want to depart from my main stylistics. I like to don't stop on something definite and always have a desire to make some experiments with my sound. There will be not only folk on my new EP.

Your lo-fi records is tribute to genre, to favourite bands or, in addition, necessary need? Do you have some wishes for work in studio?

It all began from "Let It Die" by Feist — I liked unusual, lo-fi, but charming sound. First experiments in sound recording didn't go very well: mic was broken and noised so much. I didn't know how to use music soft, what mixing and mastering means. I was afraid of studio work idea, I didn't understand how to record a correct sound in a studio. When my music became noticed I was proud that I'm independent lo-fi artist. Maybe I had some desires for studio but just couldn't afford it. It's easy for a group to get some money but not for me. Now I have a chance to record in the studio for free and I will take it but don't really know how it will works. I doubt that I will stop my home recording.

From what began your passion of music? How you came to Feist and Sonic Youth?

It all began from pop-punk. When I was 13 I've heard Blink 182 — it was my sudden jump from pop to rock. As far as I can remember myself, when I was listening to music I thought that I want to do the same. When I decided to create a band I couldn't even play a guitar but had a desire to be a rockstar. From pop-punk I jumped to an alternative music, then was my Slayer period, afterward came back to punk and was listening to Misfits, Dead Kennedys and Casualties. In that times these bands were popular among skateboarders, I was one of them and liked to watch skate videos. In the one of the profiles I've heard "Incinerate" by Sonic Youth. That's how I sold my soul to the indie rock. There was no one who listened to SY in our city and not so many people heard about them, I downloaded all the discography and listened to tatters and smudges every song (I'm not taking into account their earlier works) and then I came to noise. After Sonics I moved to Dinosaur Jr., I was impressed by their dirty sound, that's when I found an article about lo-fi music and started listening to Logh, Belle & Sebastian and Feist, for sure.

Is there something in new music that hooked you and seems interesting? Do you have a feeling that best music is completely created?

Frankly, a couple of times I had a somewhat like crisis of ideas and I was depressed because of a thoughts that there's nothing new to create but it passes quickly and new songs came to my head. From new music I hooked by new Pompeya album and last work of Toro Y Moi. Now I'm listening to chillwave, but don't want to do it by myself.

Is there some message in your compositions?

Ealier I've made only music and haven't seen importance of lyrics and now I want from people to get their attention to a texts. I'm trying make sense in all of the lines and to switch on imagination of listeners, to paint pictures in their head. I'm trying to transmit my thoughts, my ideology in songs.
I'm singing about loneliness and the fact that all people are inevitable going to die, that's why we should not to waste our youth on something trivial and do what we want and have some fun while we have a time to do it. Very often my relationships with my girl reflect in music, so recently I started to write about love, breaking up etc. I'm a cheerful person but my melancholy romantic nature may appear in my music.

If you're making interview with anyone, who it will be?

Likely, it will be Morrissey. I love that guy.



PSaA @ Last.fm
New PSaA EP Sad Daydreams is available for download here

Japan Pressing: Nipponese music in '87

Foggy Japan by unknown painter

We're starting new series of playlists, "In The Year Of" - most interesting and most popular music from one country and one year. Our starting point is Japan, so let's get started without any delays - you'll see that this music is not so crazy and nicer than you could thought.

Japan Expo '87 by gnazzz

Mild and Honey: Honey and his variety of genres

Honey portrait by Arina Darata

Honey is one-man band from the Kaliningrad, Russia. His new beat tape, "Hoyden" reminds of jazzy instrumentals of El-P and piano pieces of Michael Tariverdiev as if they were mixed with Toro Y Moi lo-fi pop and early Madlib works. But it turned out that instrumental hip-hop it's only tip of the iceberg and there are a lot of genres in Honey discography: post-punk, witch-house, folk, chillwave, minimal techo, etc. That unusual way of material's presentation and good quality of all genre samples literally forced me to make an interview with Maxim. Read it after the jump.

For how long you're making music and why you take that alias, Honey? Not every your track can be described as "sweet" and "dulcet".

I've began to make it at 14 and now I'm 19. Why "Honey"? Don't really know, it's just short, simply and memorable.

Your eclecticism, variety of genres — it's conscientious attitude, constant search of new ways of self-expression or something else? When I listened to your tracks I had the feeling that I'm listening to the radio — it's hard to imagine that it's works of one man.

Yeah, it's my concept. I wanted to make something all-purpose, because I'm many-sided person and for me it's difficult for me to follow some definite genre, that's why i'm trying to choose genre for every new tracks release (Honey put his tracks in web as soon as he finished it — FY). Every release include something new in it.

Honey - Way Out by gnazzz
Postpunk instrumental from the vast Honey discography

From what depends future track's style? What influence you on new ideas?

For some reasons it's 00s. I think that it were times when every genre was specific, indie rock, house, hip-hop, etc. There was something in that time, maybe because at that time I got access to satellite TV and it coincided with beginning of my interest to music. For me it left some music in store from what I'm pushing off.

Occasionally I inspire by new artists and bands. Once I made a witch-house tracks for fun.

Sometimes it came from weather or even TV programme theme. Inspiration could be founded anywhere — it's just important to catch some detail, thought. Details are significant for me, because my music usually grows from a little detail or an idea and then ramifies as tree.

Existance Music by honey10
Honey's rework of Toro Y Moi "Existance Music", part of his "Witch-Chill" series.

If we will talk about your music roots, what influenced you from old music and what's in your player now?

From old music — Sean Paul, RDJ2, progressive house which had been played constantly at my brother's when I was a child, just everything that had been shown on MTV in a period from 2002 to 2008. Besides that, Canadian and Aussie music, they have some specific sound in their blood. My player's favourites: Bear Hands, Teenager, Cities Aviv, Gauntlet Hair, Boyz & Girl, Wiz Khalifa, Mujuice, Wintersleep.

I can't but ask about Mujuice – I observe that he's present in varying degrees in your tracks – did you like his last album, "Downshifting"?

I think that every artist has his own ideas and thoughts about music and they couldn't be the same. As a child grows, musician becomes new person. That's why "Downshifting" is a great example of new level of artistry. It's differ from his other works, but it's very well-judged and perfect. So, yes, I liked it very much.

!!! by honey10
"Creamals" ("!!!") based on Mujuice's vocal sample

 Let's continue to speak about your works – did you have any desire to do some kind of best of, selection of works?

By the way, it's a good idea, but I think that for big guys like Guns of Roses, RHCP or Wu. I don't think that there will be so much listeners for my best.

Your new beat-tape, "Hoyden", has a concept? I think it's like one day in a life of a girl from a cover and a name suggests it.

Initially, I just had written instrumentals for fellas from South Pakistan (hip-hop group from Kaliningrad – FY) and it hadn't gone very well, because I hadn't dealt with this earlier. And this summer I bought an AKAI and met one girl, she was a painter – she did the cover of "Hoyden". Then a muse came to me and I kinda learn it. "Hoyden" it's a word for girl and I'm like hoyden-boy, it's about me. Somewhat like new style.

Black magic by honey10
"Black Magic", fresh and fine cut from "Hoyden" beat tape

Your music gives an impression of something for folks, for private use. You don't chase for success, but your music is trendy and modern. Didn't you have a wish to become more known to people?

Yep, it's very private. But I want to go beyond circle of friends. For me, the main thing is to give some feelings to people. My dream – to heard my tracks on the big stage or in the club. It would be awesome even if someone include it in mix. I just want to know that people has my music in their players and that they know some guy who sits at home and writes music just because he wants it.

Frankly, I'm a little bit afraid of a stage. For a long time I want to create a band and make a good album with their help. But it's too early to think about gigs. I think I'm not ready for this. When you're Justin Bieber, you're not worried about it all – you just do what what managers told you to do and when you're alone it's a little frightening.

 Do you have some future directions, new genres?

 If I can't create the band, I'll stay in instrumental hipster-hop. But if I'll find people for work – I don't really know. But honestly – I have no idea and it's not so important for me.

And the last question – what do you think about new anonymous musicians?

 I'm tired of them – it's difficult to download it.

"Hoyden" beat tape is available for download here

"You Should Be Dancin'" discotape is available for download here
Honey @ Last.fm

Come, Moscow, it's time to get up: Fucked Up gig in Moscow

Fucked Up logo - illustration by March Hare

There is no much to tell you about Fucked Up Moscow gig. It was truly outstanding and amazing, believe me. But I have some good news for you - Damian told me that they're really working on Red Stockings's record (and work goes pretty well) and they're thinking about Animal Man stuff.

Here's some videos from concert - including excerpt of surprising "Common People" cover.

Catch-22: Miiisha and his debut, "22"

 

not the actual cover art, illustration by Daria Smorodina, inspired by "22" album

We can't tell you much about Miiisha, mostly because little is known about him. His alias — Misha Otter, he lives in Moscow and he's 22. Hero of his songs — we can't actually say that it's real Miiisha  — is bright young romantic (as he has positioned himself in his songs), who's watching with interest over the life around and trying to resist the society's misunderstanding (with varied success). His attitude towards society has a tinge of contempt, but not for all: best people are those who are near.

Miiisha's lyrical hero came from new moscovite's generation — self-confident, open-minded, creative and recalcitrant people. Now you can find such youngsters anywhere — but bustling Moscow is giving them special energy and we can feel it in his songs. There is only one and a half ballads ("adventure" can't be called a song at all, it's an interlude), and the rest of the album sounds like rollercoaster ride — it's fast, it's fun and it's marvelous. For Russian music, "22" doesn't have any analogues: Miisha is Lil' B of Russian pop. Any global compares? Imagine rush and power of M.I.A's "Born Free", tension and insanity of Crystal Castles, rhythm and vivacity of N.E.R.D's songs (such as "Brain") and sincerity of Kanye’s deeds, mix them together and you will get a formula of "22". By hooks or by crooks Miiisha's trying to make the utmost from his music skills — and it works. His songs are memorable and lyrics easily get stuck in the head.  God is in the details, and "22"'s full of them — but it may be unnoticeable for the first look. His rules of life simple but have logic and sense — we should live in the present, fight for our rights and feelings (as the personages of "Weapon") and nevermind about the world if you have reliable companions. Finally, his main law was formulated 25 years ago — we will do what we want and now we want to dance. On the abandoned palaces, in Antarctica, in the athmosphere — absolutely anywhere.

"22" is not only very intimate album about love in variety of manifestations and conditions, but also exact replica of life, thoughts and dreams of one person, though it states about the whole generation, perhaps, more than the author wanted to. Miiisha’s opinion about generation, however, not the best – he thinks that it’s worst generation ever. From this point of view, “22” is music for the jilted generation.

Further, it's just album from another, better Russia — the country of tasteful and artfully invented pop music. Russian music history has few examples of records that could change it, but they didn't cope because they were ahead of their time. "22" is one of them — it's too good to be made here and that's why alien on the cover looks like sad reproach to the reality.

"22" will be released in September.