The recording moniker of the Russia resident and member of the band Moscow Noise Manufactory Irina Tanaeva, as Artemeida the artist brings us a saxophone-fueled listen that’s quite interesting, unusual, sometimes confusing and highly iconoclastic.
The listen gets off to a very unorthodox start, where “Territory Dance” brings waves of sound manipulation that sometimes seem like field recordings, and other times are clearly electronic. It’s a wild seven minutes of droning and eccentric noises, and is followed by the spoken moments and a slow, haunting haze of mystery that is “Chronicles.”
There are only five tracks present, but most are quite long and allow Tanaeva to really expand on her vision. The animated and acutely energetic “Violet Sky” lands in the middle, and showcases her sax skill alongside swift beats, wordless vocals and demeanor that would suite a late night at a dance club. “Flashbacks,” the best selection here, then uses repetition strategically, in its atypical dreaminess that's ambient, warm and hypnotic.
The final track, “Light Is Confused In Hair,” brings us video game-esque noises, an ominous backdrop and rapid fire beats, where the sax is layered quietly in the background, more as an accent than a focus, and the entire mood is cinematic and sci-fi rooted.
If you’re like me, you might be asking yourself what you’re listening to here. Is it jazz, electronica, avant-garde rock or art-damaged punk noise? Turns out, it’s all those things, plus more, and as weird as Radio Lyric Irina is, you'll likely want to listen to it again and again.
An effort that was birthed during the pandemic lockdowns in 2020, Tanaeva’s confusion and turmoil during this time left her wanting to make music you can dance to, but that is also noisy and experimental. Clearly, she succeeded with that.