Zakladki

kazakhstan / moscow

Thanks to music, you’ll discover within new powers within yourself. Those same unknown powers will reveal life in new tones and colors

Благодаря музыке вы найдете в себе новые неведомые вам прежде силы. Вы увидите жизнь в новых тонах и красках.

Dmitry Shostakovich (1906-1975)

“Born in Kazakhstan. High-school in Siberia. College in Moscow.” Such are the three locations and experiences with which Artem Androsov, aka Zakladki, tabulates his life thus far. Indeed the stage-name Zakladki means (among other things) “browser tabs” in Russian. The same symbol was fleshed out by him in a recent interview. “Tabs are a way of remembering a specific moment, event, or person. They make a little time capsule or highlight in the form of text and images you found by chance––amid kilotons of informational noise.”

He has spoken of his instrumental works in a similar manner. “I’d like my music to publicly transmit storylines galore––and then the audience, with their ‘local interpretations’ of those stories, can unlock their own, subjective experience.” That emphasis on individual experience is a logical extension both of Androsov’s background in Central Asia (being maximally far from Russian-language entertainment) and the fact he has worked long-distance for several years, having started long before the pandemic.

The same focus is clear whenever Androsov suggests that young musicians stay away from politics. “I wouldn’t suggest that anybody get involved in it––or anything similar––if you’re not actually a politician. I personally like to think that electronic musicians exist on a totally separate plane. We don’t need to intersect with any political strata!” His advice then becomes more positive: “Don’t be afraid to experiment or get things wrong. Don’t be afraid to ignore others’ advice. Try and work with people above your level––and help those who are inexperienced. Listen to your music on various devices: a well-produced track should sound universally good.”

Live and work alone, but foster maximum social outreach. Ignore others socially, but help them develop internally. An enduring social gap seems foregrounded, whether or not you were born in Kazakhstan.

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