- The Moscow artist makes simple, delightful house music.
- Black Square, a painting by the Ukrainian-Russian artist of Polish origin Kazimir Malevich, is considered the emblem of suprematism, an art movement characterised by geometric shapes in a limited colour palette on plain, often white canvases. The idea is to distil reality, as defined by objectivity, into "pure feeling—AKA, a "vibe."
The Moscow producer Nikolay Sunak created his new EP, Uje Ne Bol'no, with a similarly minimalist approach. The lead single opens with an angular synth loop that contrasts against a stark backdrop of silence. The focus remains on this one catchy element even as the track progresses. Such restraint—and broken beats with soulful grooves—runs throughout the whole EP, which is indeed vibey.
This particular vibe is laid-back and honey-sweet, like Sunay's 2017 EP Romantic Collection. But overall, Uje Ne Bol'no is sharper and more considered: every sound is purposeful—simple yet thoughtful—with plenty of space for the sounds to reverberate. On "Obernis,'" Sunak leads with vocals and soft pads, before a bassline wraps around them like a warm hug. Later, the track turns sharp and acidic, jolting you out of your comfort zone. On "Betelgeuse Forever," it sounds like Sunay is composing with geometric shapes, laying out each drum, synth and vocal sound discretely and intentionally, giving each room to breathe. It's a house track laid out like a suprematist painting.
Tracklist01. Uje Ne Bol'no
02. Obernis'
03. Betelgeuse Forever