New York, NY (Top40 Charts) On Kedr Livanskiy's new single, "Boy", she pushes her crystalline voice to the forefront resulting in one of Liminal Soul's most personal and palpable songs. For the first time ever, the Russian producer/musician wrote the lyrics and sings in English, mournfully reflecting on the end of a relationship and growing older.
"Boy" comes with a stunning video directed by Kristina Podobed who explains, "After hearing the song, we realized that this is a classic relationship story that is often found in literature and cinema. We decided to illustrate the romantic as much as possible and not modernize this delicious plot. A black-and-white picture with contrast and montage of imaginary images, images are inherent in cinematography, to which we will approach aesthetically while working on a music video."
Livanskiy's upcoming album Liminal Soul plays like an opera. It's expansive, timeless and finds her pushing the boundaries of electronic songwriting. This conviction is evident in the album's instrumental arrangements as well - Livanskiy expertly fuses acoustic elements with electronic ones, deconstructing pop songwriting with Bjork-like prowess.
Livanskiy's previous record Your Need cemented her on the forefront of Russia's burgeoning electronic / experimental music scene and was met with acclaim from both fellow DJs and press alike, earning her features in publications like The Guardian, Pitchfork (Read her Rising Feature), V, Bandcamp, Gorilla Vs Bear and more, as well as live gigs worldwide from Moscow to New York City.
The infectious pop energy of Your Need is still present on Liminal Soul, but this time it's more refined; a single element in an elaborate arsenal. Rather than rebelling against the upbeat nature of Your Need, she opted to expound upon it: Liminal Soul takes the technicolor dance floor conjured on Your Need and drops it into the middle of a lush forest, striking a perfect balance between the electronic energy of contemporary life and the organic ease of the natural world.
To move beyond required her to push her own internal boundaries, including the use of her voice. In the past, Livanskiy's vocals were used sparingly, a gentler element in a larger production tapestry. On Liminal Soul, though, she's brought them to the forefront. With this liberation came the freedom to experiment with the voice as an instrument as well.
On Liminal Soul she injects her infectious club beats with a dose of the natural, crafting a transcendent collection of deconstructed break pop. Contributions from Flaty and avant-electronic group Synecdoche Montauk on "Your Turn" and "Night" add texture to the album's dancier tracks, while the use of older acoustic instruments on "Storm Dancer" and "Boy" add a sense of timelessness that furthers the otherworldly tone. From the angelic choral opener "Celestial Ether" to the moodier outro "Storm Dancer", the listener enters a state of suspended reality where they are transported to dark cityscapes and verdant rural sprawls, futuristic societies and ancient ones, all in the same stroke. In the end, Livanskiy doesn't propose a single path forward. The point, instead, is to make peace with the fluctuation itself. Liminal Soul sees its release via 2MR on October 1.
