High marked something different. Not just another song, but proof that months of studying production actually worked. February sessions felt more confident from the start. EQ decisions came naturally instead of through endless trial. Compression made sense rather than being mysterious magic that sometimes helped. The masterclasses had been worth it. Knowledge accumulated gradually, then […]
When Everything Suddenly Clicks Read More »
October brought darker tracks. Not intentionally, just what emerged during writing sessions. Dying with Me started as a love song. Somehow transformed into something else entirely. The melody stayed optimistic whilst lyrics explored grief in real time. That contrast felt honest – how loss actually works in daily life. Our Love is Dead followed two
When Songs Become Therapy Read More »
The Viktor Tsoi Memorial Concert at 16 Tons Club required balancing artistic tribute with practical organisation. Serving as both musical coordinator and solo performer created dual responsibilities that pushed creative boundaries. Coordinating memorial concerts demands sensitivity alongside technical precision. Selecting artists, managing schedules, maintaining tribute atmosphere: logistical complexities multiply when personal artistic contribution intersects with
Coordinating Memory and Music Read More »
Brighton Music Conference happened virtually a few weeks ago, and participating online turned out differently than expected. Sitting at home whilst watching industry panels doesn’t feel natural initially, but something shifted during the Q&A sessions. Rob McIntosh was discussing international artist development when questions started flowing through the chat. The conversation around balancing commercial viability
Connecting Through Screens and Speakers Read More »
Something unexpected happened yesterday. Victor Drobysh contacted me about ‘Distant Light’ playing around the НМК office where I’ve been working as assistant arranger and vocal coach. The track wasn’t meant for anyone specific. Written during one of those late-night guitar sessions when melodies emerge without conscious direction. Recording it felt necessary rather than strategic: just
When Your Song Finds You Read More »
Production masterclasses became routine this year. Not because I planned it, but because each session revealed gaps I didn’t know existed. January started with arrangement fundamentals. Basic stuff, supposedly. Turned out my understanding of vocal layering was completely wrong. Six months of stacking harmonies the hard way when two simple techniques could achieve the same
Six Lessons That Actually Mattered Read More »
November meant demo submission time. Not planned, not strategic – just had this track Boy sitting on my laptop for weeks. Music Pros Hollywood kept appearing in my research. Proper industry people, not another pay-to-play scheme. Their submission guidelines were straightforward. No fancy packaging, no gimmicks. Just send your best work. Boy felt ready, though
When You Just Have to Send It Read More »
This one happened by accident. I was jamming with my sister, just playing around with guitar chords, when the line “keep your spirits up” came out of nowhere. Sometimes the best songs arrive when you’re not trying to write them. The moment I had that phrase, everything clicked. I knew this needed to be a
KEEP YOUR SPIRITS UP: Birth of a New Song Read More »
We finished something special. Andrey Sova and I spent weeks creating this mini-film that exists somewhere between music video and visual poetry. It’s built around Radiohead’s I Will (No Man’s Land) – a song that’s haunted both of us for years. The project started with a simple idea: what if we could translate the isolation
Visual Novel: Collaboration with Andrey Sova Read More »
We’re done. After three months of demos, rehearsals, and studio sessions, ELEPHANTS is finally complete. Sitting here listening to the final mix, I can barely recognize the broken acoustic recording I made in April. The studio day started early. We arrived at 10 AM with all our gear, ready to capture what we’d been building
Studio Magic: ELEPHANTS Takes Final Form Read More »
