The first in out 7ransparen7 series of 7"s is the U.S debut of Vesna straight from St. Petersburg Russia. This 7" is a fine mix of emotion and head nodding hip hop inspired electronica.

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I've never heard of this person or label before, but this sort of reminds me of what Autechre was up to around the Artificial Intelligence comps on Warp, but with a more updated sound. Creepy, dark beats with a healthy dose of post-jungle bass lines and the occasional DSP granular trickery. I may not be hip to what constitutes the "IDM" genre, but this release is what it boils down to for me. I know that IDM may not be the coolest thing to be doing right now, but I have a theory that who ever sticks with it and keeps advancing the boundaries will be in a good position in the future. igloomag

The Debut 7" on n5MD features Russian artists Vesna - a duo of Alex Gaponenko and Dimitri Tchernjak. The A-side "Mone" moves at quite a brisk pace featuring Chiastic Slide era jitter-beats and brooding precise synth leads. "Aesde" on the flipside continues in a similar vein with a more defined beat structure and minimal dark synth phrases. Both of these tracks skillfully combine gritty hip-hop backdrops with dark / melancholy synth leads. re:mote induction

The primarily MD based label n5MD releases its first 7" with Vesna. A two track release, Mone/Aesde, on clear vinyl. Starting with Mone we have the slower and more bass heavy of the two. Low bass leading to wire lined buzzing detail. Gravely beats shift in particulate rhythms, while a clean melody plinks along. Echo imitation with a padded bass line, that squelches mildly. Faltering by steps, while maintaining a clear continuity. A thick sound, from the bass, weighed by its gravity. Yet flowing regardless with the layered melody; which provides an ultimate ease. On the other side Aesde starts with haunted plinks, rounded notes wit a hint of hollowness. Peaks sawtooth between the notes, fragile but sharp pulses. Beats come in the form of wire tumbles, which give way to more fluttered strokes. Chiming jingles and brushing steps the pace up, more melodic detail adding a low bass that marks this as consistent with the A side. Foreground melody works with a delicacy as the pieces strips a degree, stripes of other element lain through the core detail. The piece builds back up, tapping hi hat and the peak from the start more porous as it allows a certain whistle to escape. Wandering down to reflective conclusion. seven

The Debut 7" on n5MD features Russian artists Vesna - a duo of Alex Gaponenko and Dimitri Tchernjak. The A-side "Mone" moves at quite a brisk pace featuring Chiastic Slide era jitter-beats and brooding precise synth leads. "Aesde" on the flipside continues in a similar vein with a more defined beat structure and minimal dark synth phrases. Both of these tracks skillfully combine gritty hip-hop backdrops with dark / melancholy synth leads. purist

The St. Petersburg duo know as Vesna, which means 'spring' in Russian, started in 1998 with Alex Gaponenko and Dimitri Tohernjak. With a couple obscure compilation appearances on Lo Recordings and Cheburec, the good folks at N5MD had the sense to release a Vesna 7" to introduce the American and European scene to this upcoming and outstanding Russian electronic act. Like fellow Russian acts EU, Novel 23, Ambidextrous, and others, the talented duo decided to take the path of their fellow genre countrymen and compose their sound to incorporate crunchy beats, dark synth undertones, and haunting keyboard tinkering. Think of EU meets Autechre's 'EP7' and you've got a good premise for what Vesna's music sounds like. I thoroughly enjoyed this seven-inch, with it's crunchy beats, low-down-dirty basslines, and cavernous tones. With two succulent compilations and the Proem album 'Among Others', this suitable 7" by Vesna is an excellent addition to the already remarkable N5MD catalog. EU fans take note: Vesna will grace your playlist soon enough. Don't pass this one up…