Remember how Russian ElectroPop heroes Tesla Boy’s last album, The Universe Made Of Darkness, was one of our favourite albums of 2013? Well now that amazing record is getting spiced up by all manner of reMixes in the just released The Universe Made of Darkness: Night Version. On the new album you’ll find work from he likes of Xinobi, Piorneerball and 7th Myriads. To celebrate the release the guys have dropped this reMix of Paraffin from the superb Cosmonaut Grechko.
Grechko get’s his House on in a major way. The man’s latest tunes have all been incredibly complex Chicago House jams that feel totally authentic whilst bringing the sound up to speed, and that’s what he does right here. Full of Grechko’s popping purcussion and deep, warbling bass, the track flows perfectly with Anton’s vocal and injects it with a piano hook as classic as any you’ve heard.
It seems like only yesterday that ElectroPop heroes Tesla Boy’s amazing second album The Universe Made Of Darkness came in at number three in our favourite albums of 2013. Now the Russian outfit are looking to launch a new chapter in their history with their brand new single, Strong, out this week. Settle in for some retro Pop goodness.
This is archetypal Tesla Boy, but with a little less Funk and a little more Power Pop than before. Strong still works in all the vintage synths, classic production and Anton’s nostalgic croon are all present and correct; but this feels like a more sophisticated Tesla Boy, more mature in it’s approach to songwriting. Having already tackled 80s SynthPop, then 80s Disco, it’s now time for Tesla Boy to grab the Tears For Fears end of the 80s and make it their own, and they do so with style.
Dream Machine, the opening track from Russian Dreamwavers Tesla Boy’s amazing The Universe Made Of Darkness album has got itself a shiny new official video. Does this mean it’s forthcoming as a single? Who knows, but check out the clip below.
Daniil Kochkin directs the video, an atmospheric journey with a lost girl.
Unsurprisingly, the next single from Russian ElectroPoppers Tesla Boy’s amazing current album, The Universe Made Of Darkness, will is Broken Doll. This tune, featuring some vocal work from Tyson, is prime single material. Frequent Tesla Boy reMixers Pioneerball once again contribute to the single reMix package with this thick slice of Boogie.
This one is all about that heavy, heavy, synth Fun bassline. Popping and bubbling away in the background, the irresistible bass serves as a groovy core for Pioneerball’s arsenal of retro synth shimmers. Keeping things mid-paced and solid, Pioneerball serves up a rich vintage DiscoPop powerhouse that perfectly compliments Tesla Boy’s Anton’s vocals. The single also includes a Dub version by Tesla Boy themselves and a reMix of Invisible from Sportloto.
♫ Tesla Boy (Feat. Tyson) – Broken Doll (Pioneerball reMix)
Our picks from the single would have to be London producer Shur-I-kan’s funky take on Undetected. Upping the tempo and adding a little energy to the track Shur-I-Kan drags it straight to the dancefloor. Thick synth bass and a flowing Disco groove power this track along, taking Anton’s smooth vocals long for the ride. Also Pioneerball reMix The Universe Made Of Darkness’ ode to the early 90s 1991. Choosing to ignore the track theme, Pioneerball instead conjure up a pitch perfect late 70s Funk take on the track. The whole reMix collection is a nice compliment to the album, check it out.
We tend not to make much of a secret round these parts that Russia Dreamwave ElectroPoppers Tesla Boy are amongst our favourite acts around today. From first discovering them deep in the Outrun community on MySpace they always struck a chord with us, combining out then newfound excitement in this (then) new breed of retro cool SynthWave and out love of vocal SynthPop.
After showing us all what they could do with a killer EP, their début album, Modern Thrills, cemented their reputation for being on of the most talented bands around, whether on the Disco, ElectroPop or SynthWave scene, combining all three styles into one form as catchy and Poppy as it was dancefloor friendly. Inspiring an army of Russian SynthWave acts and kicking off the Russian retro scene, Tesla Boy also brought their brand of vintage DiscoPop to the world on their own terms.
Massively successful in their homeland, with the release of the sophomore album, The Universe Made Of Darkness, Tesla Boy are widening their international appeal with a string of high profile US shows and collaborations with the coolest of House music cats. Tesla Boy head honcho Anton Sevidov to a little time out of their promotional schedule to chat with us about where Tesla Boy came from, where it is and where it’s going.
ER: Let’s take it right back to the beginning. We first became aware of Tesla Boy back in the 2009 MySpace days and your first EP, just prior to being picked up by Mullet Records, what had led you to that point? Had you been in bands before? What attracted you to your retro synth sound?
TB: I have been engaged in music all my life, starting as a jazz pianist. When I was 15, I brought together my first band, and it was so-called acid-jazz, the kind of music we played at that time. Further electronic music carried me away and I arrived at understanding that I really like the 80s sound very much. I began to style my songs in this manner. And next thing what happened – the public was ready to love it.
ER: Speaking of MySpace, the whole Dreamwave and Nu-Disco thing really took off there, do you feel like the social network was a big help to kick starting your career.
TB: Exactly, I really think that social networks made us well-known.
♫ Tesla Boy – Fantasy
ER: And now, you’ve just released your second album, The Universe Made Of Darkness, which had widened your international appeal. How are you feeling now that the album is out in the wild? Were you nervous about “the difficult second album” syndrome?
TB: I thought of the second album syndrome when we started our first tour. I was under the impression that everything is cool – everybody loved our music. At the same time I started to write new songs. And when everything was almost ready I said to myself – Stop it! What about the second album syndrome? You cannot just record it! And I was forced to rewrite it.
ER: We can hear a bit of an evolution of your sound in the second album. How has the way you write changed in the 3 years since Modern Thrills?
TB: I really wanted to add this sensation of a live concert. I did my best to work from my feelings, doing what I really love to do, without paying attention to the style.
ER: Were your influences for this record different from Modern Thrills? (A little more 90s perhaps?)
TB: That was the time of great change worldwide. In 1991 our state split, and freedom was the choice of the time. It was euphoric and painful at the same time. Change is always painful, although necessary. Those were my thoughts when I was writing 1991.
ER: There’s a couple of collaborations on The Universe Made Of Darkness. With Tyson and Fritz Helder From Azari & III. How did these come about and was there anyone you wanted to work with but it didn’t happen?
TB: I met Fritz when Azari & III came to Moscow. At this time it occurred to us to make a track together.
It was Martin who introduced me to Tyson. Marin also worked on his album.
I really would like to work with Erol Alkan. And write a track with Michael McDonald.
♫ Tesla Boy (Feat.Tyson) – Broken Doll
ER: How hook up with Martin Dubkka, your co-producer for the new album?
TB: Martin is a very good musician and our tastes are similar. I really love his style – he is not imposing al all, I like his ideas, and I am happy with our collaboration.
ER: You’ve been playing live a lot in the US recently, how does playing in America compare to playing in Russia? Are the crowds very different?
TB: To tell the truth, there is almost no difference. Probably, it is because the young people is our audience, who look very much alike and similar in different countries. Serbians and Mexicans stand out most of all – they are very hot.
ER: If you were to take us on a night out in Moscow, where would we go? What are the highlights of the Moscow scene?
Strelka-bar, La Boule, Simachev, La Lubanka, The Museum Of KGB, Butirka.
ER: We feature tons of Russian artists on Electronic Rumors (Hot Hot Hawk, 7he Myriads, Serj V, Cosmonaut Grechko, 5 Reasons, Lovinski, Quasars, Sohight & Cheevy, DZA etc…) what is it, do you think, that attracts so many Russian producers to the retro synth sound, and what is it that makes them so good at it (because they really are!)
TB: The Russians are a nation with a very good ear for music. Our heritage is huge – Tchaikovsky, Rakhmaninov, Borodin, Prokofiev. Their music possesses melodic beauty. This probably relates it to the sound of 80s. This background might produce this kind of effect.
♫ Tesla Boy – Another Light
ER: So what’s in Tesla Boys studio? Especially in terms of Synths and outboard gear.
Russian ElectroPoppers Tesla Boy’s The Universe Made Of Darkness is pretty much the album of the year so-far for us, and although the excellent Undetected isn’t due for single release it;s gone and got itself a shiny new video.
Directed by Noriko Okaku based on photos by Vladimir Vasilchikov it’s a cavalcade of retro animation.
Tesla Boy’s new album The Universe Made Of Darkness, is out now.
Russian ElectroPoppers Tesla Boy’s début album, Modern Thrills, is one of our favourite albums of all time. Back in 2009 the totally nail everything that was so good about the burgeoning Dreamwave and post-Dreamwave Nu-Disco scenes and wrapped all that smooth LA funk and 80s soundtrack epicness with Pop sensibilities and incredibly catchy songs. Their sophomore full length release, The Universe Made Of Darkness, out this week, has been on rotation here for the past couple of weeks after a first few nervous listens. This album has so much to live up to, so many expectations, we just didn’t know if it would deliver.
It does. In abundance. Tesla Boy’s sound had only matured on this release, there’s a greater width of influences and more attention to detail. The Russian’s have managed to release an album that sounds quite a bit different to their premier record, but still unmistakably Tesla Boy. The album still retains the cool Disco vibe, the epic songs, but has a larger scope, and a bigger sound. Kicking of with Dream Machine, a smooth piece of arena SynthPop that weaves a proggy vibe into it’s 80s LA funk, the album soon launces into Tesla Boy’s most recent single, the energetic, anthemic, M.C.H.T.E. before bringing the groove right back on Invisible. Invisible is a laid back, but powerful, track that mixes a poolside feel with huge grinding synths and is indicative of Tesla Boy retaining their cool boogie, but making it so much more expansive. Up next is Broken Doll, which features the awesome Tyson. The perfect cool, dirty Disco tune that makes a brilliant platform for Tesla Boy’s Anton, and Tyson, two ElectroPop heavyweights to duet. Wicked Disco licks and slab bass rub shoulders with gritty synths and a relentless mid-tempo pounding. Broken Doll will be the bands next single.Previous single Split is up next, with a little old school Tesla Boy nostalgia, as with another (quite) old single Fantasy that follows. Saturn is the first of a couple of musical interludes, a beautiful and haunting 80s soundtrack-esque piece with a slight oriental feel and a surprising highlight of The Universe Made Of Darkness. Undetected is a bass heavy Nu-Disco bouncer that blends a little 80s UK Pop into the thick, warbling slo-mo funk that is complimented by the shimmering keys and hazy 80s Soul of Start. After the abstract bass House interlude of Something Deep, we are hit with Paraffin, which features Fritz from Azari & III. Paraffin is full on RoboPop Disco, an energetic, kinetic, but ultimately slick meeting of Chicago House and Dreamwave where everyone’s a winner. Which leaves the album to play out on the full-on early 90s DancePop of the single 1991. So there it is. The Universe Made Of Darkness was one of, if not the, most anticipated album of the years for us, and we are so relieved to say, it’s awesome.
♫ Tesla Boy – M.C.H.T.E.
♫ Tesla Boy (Feat.Tyson) – Broken Doll
♫ Tesla Boy – Stars
♫ Tesla Boy – 1991
♫ Tesla Boy (Feat. Fritz Helder from Azari & III) – Parrafin
Tesla Boy’s new album The Universe Made Of Darkness, is out now. The Broken Doll single is out soon.
How on the heels of March’s 1991, here’s the new single from Russia’s greatest export, the unstoppable Tesla Boy. Taken from their forthcoming second album, The Universe Made Of Darkness, this new tune sees Tesla Boy back in an 80s groove, after 1991’s flirting with the 90s, and rocking it harder than we’ve heard them rock before.
M.C.H.T.E leaves a little of Tesla Boy’s smooth Disco grooves behind in favour of massive raw drums and growling synths. Anton’s epic vocal soars over a backing of almost Tropical purcussion, thickly layered synths, and a production that makes everything big, reverby and live. Although keeping a strong synth Funk groove, M.C.H.T.E has more in common with the stadium SynthPop of Depeche Mode than their Dreamwave roots. And that’s all good, Tesla Boy did Dreamwave flavoured ElectroPop better than anybody, and now it’s time to tackle their next electro target. Bring on the big Tesla Boy SynthPop, we say.
♫ Tesla Boy – M.C.H.T.E
M.C.H.T.E is taken from Tesla Boy’s forthcoming album The Universe Made Of Darkness, released 21st May.
Russian crew Tesla Boy are easily one of the best ElectroPop acts around today. Since their emergence in 2008 with a demo EP on their MySpace site they have been champions of a retro 80s sound. With overtones of Disco, Indie and SynthWave, these guys have always kept it 80s. Until now. their new single, cunningly titled 1991, is loaded with early 90s musical references. A new direction for Tesla Boy, or a one-off? Only time will tell.
1991 is all Hip Hop beats, samples vocal snatches and a Pop House vibe, and ‘y’know what? It works. Mainly due to Tesla Boy’s talent, these guys are master songwriters and performers, it’s not surprise that when they break their meld they can still deliver the goods. With their interpretation of the Soul II Soul Back To Life beat and big House synths, Tesla Boy still manage to sound like Tesla Boy and deliver an optimistic song that probably mirrors a new found sense of optimism in Russia in 1991 with the birth of the Russian Federation. The reMix line-up for the single it pretty impressive too. Portuguese Disco guru Xinobi takes his time with the track and delivers a smooth, slick Disco-House rework before dropping in some sumptuous Dub grooves and making thoroughly intoxicating summer dance track. Fellow Russians 7he Myriads go with a live sounding vibe and put the 80s back into Tesla Boy, while Fon.Leman turns-in a complex big room tune with hints of Disco and Progressive House in it’s massive euphoric sound and some hands-in-the-air Trance overtones. Along side these three sit further remixes from Tonefiction, DZA and SoundSam in a stunning, recommended, reMix package.
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