Staraya Derevnya (Israel) for Krautrock

Staraya Derevnya was founded in Haifa, Israel, in 1994. Members are Gosha Hniu (real name: Gosha Shtasel), an avant-garde musician and sound engineer based in London, originally from Israel or Ukraine, and London-based electronic music artist Grundik Kasyansky. Both of them are involved in a number of experimental music projects, apart from Staraya Derevnya.

This duo is named after a historic district located in St. Petersburg, Russia. Now based between London and Tel Aviv, Staraya Derevnya is forging its own route in the field of experimental psychedelia. The musical style that the pair describes themselves as "Krautfolk" is actually characterised by an uncommon combination of instruments and captivating rhythms. According to accounts of their live performances, they are performed in an underground gloominess underlined with interesting animated artworks that are projected in favour of provoking a psychedelic brainstorm alongside the music.

Staraya Derevnya released six studio albums: "Expedition" (self-released, 1999; remastered edition, 2009); "From Inside the Log" (self-released, 2010); "Kadita Sessions" (self-released, 2016); "Still Life with Applem, Collaboration with Hans Grusel's Krankenkabinet" (Steep Gloss, 2020), "Boulder Blues" (Ramble Records, 2022), and "Inwards Opened the Floor" (Raash Records, 2020).

On August 10, 2022, at their London concert held as always with a bunch of additional musicians in the already legendary Café OTO, their magnificent album titled "Blue Forty-nine," released in November 2023 on the Blue Tapes label, was recorded so beautifully. The primordial oddity of Staraya Derevnya's studio recordings is heightened and elevated to a whole new level, released on an attractively designed cassette album.

Links:

Gosha Hniu

Grundik Kasyansky

Interesting listen. Not boring at all, which is usually a problem with some of this stuff that is considered "krautrock" ... this one continues on, and in that sense it fits the idea that it is "krautrock", even if it is not German.

It gets some kudos from me for the nicest kazoo sound in one of the pieces, that not only got me to smile, but to remember PDQ Bach and his incredible use of the kazoo. Can't over do it and this piece doesn't ... which makes it more interesting.

This is a fun listen, and unlike some of the "krautrock" stuff that was exactly meaningless, it never gets boring, and it manages to keep your interest through out. It's also nice that it does not keep any kind of typical rock music stuff, thus making this a freer listen than most ...

Very nice. Quite enjoyable. Their previous album is also a very interesting listen. Love the fact that it is not tied to a format at all, and the free form movement is interesting all the way through. The only thing that is strange to me, is how this music helps you relax and free float. Usually I'm a tripper that finds something to flow on and off to the races I go ... this stuff is different. It has what I would say no rhyme or reason, and the benefit is that your attention is so far spread out and apart that you eventually relax and just allow the sounds to flow on their own ... a very different "quiet" trip for me, with small thoughts and things in the mind kinda left behind and ignored, for once, thus making for a more relaxed state that has little intervention from the mind ... quite nice! Different.