Vladimir Dubyshkin – Russian Porn Magazine

Written on 12.08.2020 by Andrijan Apostoloski

For me, Dubyshkin always had a supernatural power when it comes to bringing an uplifting mood through his simplistic ways of using techno beats with no gimmicky production but straight to the point hi-hats and no wrong experimentations which gets the groove thumping throughout with no compromise whatsoever. The cartoonish way of his soundscapes accompanied by an unique way of looping the sampled vocals and other elements with very dramatic and sometimes even darkly and disharmonic tones is what makes the sound perfect as a whole. The surrealism of his is done absurdly, given that most of the examples in techno do, and unconditionally fail, assuming that experimentation is normatively bringing what you’re experimenting to a maximalist nature. Oppositely, the more beautiful and honest way of doing it has been proven to always be the simpler approach. Old school methodic of the groove alongside the creativity he’s developed throughout his career is a magnificent thing that always leaves me smiling and gives plenty of energy for my next adventure, dance or just to start the day in a weirdly but uplifting and positive fashion.

All in all, the third release on the трип label isn’t anything that will put you out of your shoes if you expected to hear something that doesn’t resemble the previously created world of sound by him. That is not a negative thing however, as the whole magic is in this Dubyshkin-esque signature tones. You can even repeat this multiple times and it will take you a while to notice what you’re doing. The third episode of the trip releases follows the sound of the previous two, but still gives us new stories that are completely unique sounding, to each of their own. The same way a writer has his own style is the way a proper techno (or any other genre) artist gives new music to the world.

Starting with the introductory track for this EP, “Russian Porn Magazine” is the definitive example of all the magic containing his style and philosophy behind the music. He is a producer who doesn’t put any makeup on his music and can be considered as one of the rare people in techno nowadays that has been able to establish a unique sounding world that doesn’t disappoint, but follows the philosophy of less is more. Right off the thumping kick and beat of techno can be heard, accompanied with a signature style of sampling manipulated vocals only to be enriched into this surrealism with a dramatic repetitive synth that definitely does sound Russian in core.

“Driving the Bus” is a darker tune that is introduced with a reverberated and industrial sounding-like synth that when taken as a whole – it gives me the feeling of my own hedonistic seeking of the “intense” when I’m melting away and dancing on a rave. It is a track that does not disappoint and doesn’t stop thumping away, it is for my imagination what the sound of a Soviet bus burning up fuel in a constant manner sounds like – but painted in techno. And do not think of old and rusted when I say Soviet bus, think of timeless and strong but simple. 💜

I can hear “Company of 302s” crying for this coronavirus to end and to be played on a proper soundsystem. Yes, the track itself is crying! In an electro fashion, perhaps this is the biggest change from prior soundscapes of his, but even then he always managed to lurk some styles of the electronic music into his releases. The bass is groovy all the way and you can hear what a hi-hat does when it enters the right moment. He continues to introduce what sounds like a vocal that is sampled in a very interesting manner, becoming the main synth melody leading this track.

In this vast world of techno and especially after the genre became mainstream, this is perhaps one of the most beautiful exceptions of pure essential and quite unique sounding body moving material spiced with “old skool eternal grooves” since the very start of his releases for Macro.