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Alexei Borisov’s long career reflects
the tempestuous history of Russian underground music. In the early
80's he played in Center, the first Soviet new wave band, until
he founded the synthetic/industrial group Notshnoi Prospekt. In
the ecstatic era of Perestroika, the thirst for rock music was
so great that even Notshnoi Prospekt played their experimental
rock at sports halls and stadiums around the country. In the 90's
everything changed again, and Borisov withdrew to produce, under
various project names, different types of purely electronic music
that mainly found its audience in various Moscow elite circles,
from techno clubs to avant-garde art events.
Absurdism and futurism, which both have
a long history in Russian culture, form the red thread of Borisov’s
output. In the manner of classic absurdism and surrealism, he
combines, both musically and lyrically, unrelated “inappropriate”
elements; there is an undetermined apocalyptic catastrophe looming
behind his depiction of arrested everyday happenings and objects.
The impression is emphasized by his unique vocals, bordering on
speech, which have an irrational emotional range and often incomprehensible,
gibberish lyrics. According to some theories, 20th century western
art and dadaism 'borrowed' gibberish, or language “beyond
reason”, from the Russian futurists, but in Borisov’s
case, futurism also means the pursuit of constant renewal and
the abandonment of achieved positions. In this sense he is a typical
dandy from a megapolis who gets bored and changes his musical
style when it has reached an institutionalized status.
In his Avanto performance, Borisov will
combine the crude low-tech noise of his CD På köket,
released last year, with the sounds of Russian everyday life.
Helsinki photographer Anne Hämäläinen will visualize
the concert with her slides portraying everyday aesthetics of
life in Moscow. AN
Thursday 8.11.2001 - Café Kiasma
18:00-20:00 - DJ Alexei Borisov
Saturday 10.11.2001 - Kiasma Theatre
20.00 - Live: Alexei Borisov
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