Mikhail Chekalin - Origin of Species

Mikhail Chekalin - Post‧Pop - Non‧Pop Label: Мелодия ‎– С60 28737 003 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue Country: USSR Released: 1989 Genre: Electronic Style: Abstract, Experimental, Ambient Credits: Composed By, Performer, Synthesizer, Computer [Rhythm], Vocals, Recorded By [Eight-track Tape], Mixed By, Artwork By [Cover Design] – Михаил Чекалин Engineer [Recording] – I. Zamaraev* Other [Consultant] – Dimitri Ukhov Photography – D. Chekalin "Mikhail Chekalin (born in Moscow at 1959) "certainly, is one of the most radical and innovative synthesists around, not only in Russia but globally" (Audion, 6/1993; #58/2013 UK); "Chekalin is now considered one of the top maverick modern composers in Russia" (Zoltan’s Progressive Rock Webpage, USA). A composer of symphony and chamber music, keyboardist, artist, he follows along many different lines. Early in his career he made his presence known by becoming as dedicated as they came to the notion of synth keyboard music composer-performer. His taking-up a synthesist-keyboardist profession and his further steps along this line of work concure with the mid-70s and thus fall at the same time with the burgeoning and growth period of synth music at the worldwide scene. Mikhail Chekalin is known as the only one from among solid craft composers in the USSR, who in his creative pursuance follows the opposite path than the cultural officialdom’s way of thinking. One need political immunity to do that; in his case, it was rather political indifference. Besides he is still a man unpardonably young and also way too much of an unorthodox and avant-gardist to flow smoothly into a rigorously conservative mainstream of Soviet contemporary serious music. Still this led to all kinds of public and ideological consequences as the beginnings of his career coincided with Brezshnev’s epoch which tended to be a repressive one, even though in a concealed sort of way. During the Soviet times M. Chekalin having been deprived of a status of officially recognized artist, lacked opportunities and advantages available for those publicly engaged to carry out commissions. The circumstance of Mikhail Chekalin having created fundamental musical forms within strictures of underground (the point being not only official censure but lack of technical facilities as well) was unprecedented. The composer has been ignored by this particular branch of Soviet cultural establishment as is personified by the USSR Composers’ Union functionaries. All along he had been the subject of the unwelcome attention by KGB instead." Read more: http://www.chekalin.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11&Itemid=53&lang=english