MDC Rec.
Igor Smirnov / Garik Smirnov : A dream of the shadow of smoke (RU,1994)**°
After his first, group Grountovaïa Doroga (=”new wave”) where he already wrote his own songs. Igor participated in underground festivals amongst groups like Aquarium, Alice, Kino, Center, amongst others. His music was used for various films. Since 1989 he participated with other groups in a folkpop & “bardic” style. In the same year he was asked to record his songs for this Belgian company. It was spread around ever since. His texts are published in a book about ‘Soviet poetry rock’.
The songs are recognisable in a typical Russian bardic style, some with here and there a cradle rhythm drive, but mostly with a slightly melancholic reality drive accompanied by very nice acoustic arrangements and accompaniment of acoustic guitar, cello, flute, handpercussion (tabla ?), and some tracks with touches of some backing vocals, and on some other tracks harmonica, clarinet or xylophone.
From the same label I also heard "Chine", rêves et voyages", un voyage imaginaire, an imaginary voyage through China, composed by Mitya Kuznetsov (RU/CHI,2005)***' mixed with some prerecorded voices and background in China. It's relaxing filmic music which gives the impression it is Chinese classical music & folk music in a beautiful environment.
