At the end of 2005 the St Petersburg musician and DJ DJ Art (aka Art D.Jay) released his debut album as a producer. Artyom agreed to answer a few questions from our website.
Tell us how it all began for you. Where did the name Art D.Jay come from? What is Mekanic Duo?
It all began for me in the mid-1990s. After listening to some radio stations, I developed a huge desire to become a DJ. But at that time I didn’t know anyone in the field, so the only way to become a DJ was to attend a DJ school. You had to pay a certain amount of money to go there. I had to work all summer to afford it. The school was called Mastersound. As it happened, after meeting all the directors and teachers, studying turned into more of a social scene. Naturally, I made the necessary connections, and then Mekanic Duo emerged—a drum and bass project with one of the Mastersound students.
And why drum and bass specifically?
Actually, it all started with techno music. I was planning to become a techno DJ because techno music was fashionable at the time. It was played in every club. All DJs started either with techno or house. But since house was the most commercial music possible, and I was very young then and wanted something a little harder, I chose techno for myself. My first records were techno—specifically the most brutal, heavy minimal techno. Then, after meeting my project partner, he let me listen to a drum and bass compilation called, I think, Different Colours of Drum&Bass, and some of the tracks reminded me very strongly of techno in terms of mood. After that, I became interested in hard drum and bass. At that time, a substyle called techstep was already beginning to emerge.
I’ve heard that your first album as a producer is coming out (Art D.Jay – Polyhedron). Tell us about it: how it was made, the ideas behind the tracks, and how long you worked on it.
The album took quite a long time to make. In fact, the album itself wasn’t really made as an album; I simply wrote tracks over the course of three years. Half of them had already appeared on compilations. So the album turned out to be a collection of tracks from 2002 to 2005.
When will it be available in stores?
You can already find it in all stores as of yesterday—since December 9.
I noticed that you used to play more dance-oriented music and weren’t afraid of so-called nu-school jump-up, whereas now your style has broadened. What is this connected with?
For me, drum and bass has never been limited to any one substyle. It changes on its own; there are many substyles, and each of them gains momentum at one time or another and becomes more popular than the others. A lot of interesting tracks appear.
We know you both as a DJ and as a producer. Which activity do you like more?
I feel the same way about DJing and producing. And the best thing about DJing is that you can play your own music.
What do you use when writing music?
I use the standard set of programs. Of course, I’ve gone through a lot during the time I’ve spent at the computer, but now it’s the standard set that basically everyone uses. That’s Steinberg, Native Instruments, Propellerhead, and Digidizing.
Which Russian musicians do you consider the most promising? Who would you like to work with?
Of course, I wouldn’t want to single anyone out in particular, so as not to offend my other colleagues in the field. The only person I can name—someone I respect and who is genuinely working to the fullest—is Stanislav Dissident.
You said that, as a DJ, you have the opportunity to play your own music, but I’ve watched your performances and noticed that you mainly play vinyl. How do you feel about people who play from CDs? Do you play from discs yourself?
Of course, I try to play from records, simply because it’s more convenient for me and I like playing from records. Unfortunately, very little Russian music is available on vinyl, so I have to play domestic drum and bass producers’ music from compact discs.
A great deal of music is now distributed via the internet, both legally and illegally. What is your attitude toward this? Does it help or harm the drum and bass scene?
Well, in general, this f…ing situation is happening now because of the emergence of all kinds of ADSL connections and other “internets,” through which music can be downloaded “for free” at a good bitrate. Speaking for myself, I don’t accept this method. Tracks that are on records are simply stolen by certain people working in record stores, who copy them onto their computers and distribute them over the internet.
What about distributing tracks legally over the internet? Labels and some services have now appeared that sell music, including MP3s, completely legally. What is your attitude toward this?
Well, MP3 labels are f…ing good both for artists and for the people involved in this. It’s basically a profitable situation. Even financially, an artist can earn much more this way than if they signed to a vinyl label or released a CD. But for now, everything is so diffuse that it’s difficult to track. It’s a very complicated issue. It’s still too early to talk about it.
There were many good and not-so-good releases this year, as well as many parties. What can you highlight as you look back on this year in December?
As far as releases go, I’d like to mention the Ganja Records label—the G Dub and DJ Hazard releases. And as for parties, probably Future Prophecies. It was the most memorable party of the year for me.
What do you think about raves?
I think raves contribute to the development of drum and bass. Large enough events attract a lot of young people and help drum and bass develop. After raves, new faces appear in clubs—future DJs and producers.
As an artist, you’ve attended many parties in other cities. What do you remember, and what did you like?
This summer, I went to a wonderful drum and bass festival in the Altai Republic called Wet Luck 2005. It was the coolest.
And how does it compare with Kazantip?
Honestly, Kazantip comes second.
What is your attitude toward projects aimed at developing St. Petersburg’s infrastructure, specifically the construction of the ring road?
I think it’s quite a useful undertaking, because I live in an industrial district like this and I have a lot of “tanks” moving along the embankment of the Obvodny Canal. And thanks to the ring road, I hope the Obvodny Canal will be relieved of traffic and all the “tanks” will drive only there.
Who did you vote for in the previous presidential election of the Russian Federation?
Elena Stepanenko.
Interview: Yegor, Buran. St Petersburg, 10 December 2005.
