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.