Despite the fact we’re only 50 odd days into it, the delivery of the new collaborative EP Black Cube on Monday made it the seventh release in 2018 already for Techno DJ/Producer and Nizhny Novgorod native Alexander Zhikharev, aka Optimuss, It comes hot on the heels of EP’s Florian Park and Frozen and the three together came in such quick fire fashion that they saw daylight more quickly than this post did and forced its focus to change three times. In fact the Russian’s output is so prolific that a quick (or long) glance through his discography on Spotify reveals Black Cube to be his 111th solo or collaborative single or EP since 2013. And this alongside 4 full length albums. Crazy stuff!
The owner of two labels, the Italian imprint Creptonit and the US based Dessolution Records, production wise, Zhikharev’s trade in techno is underlined by the consistent employment of a hard expansive beat often with accentuation, compression heavy atmospherics and groove centred percussion. The differences lie in each track’s multi-faceted approach to the application and realisation of sound and melody, which can be as murky and gloomy as it can bright and hopeful. The wide ranging utilisation of space and attention to subtle details is crucial to his craft. Currently, the cavernous, ‘Genesis’ is in our Top 30 and below are three additional tracks from this year that best represent the current Optimuss dynamic. You’ll notice his little nod to house in some vocal samples too. They are prefaced by ‘Magma’ from the Black Cube collaboration with American counterpart Durtysoxxx. Get that EP through Bitten Records here.
Optimuss EP Release Dates 2018
8/1 – Observatory w/ David Wincent
12/1 – Genesis
22/1 – Clannish
24/1 Cyber Dance
4/2 – Frozen
18/2 – Florian Road
20/2 – Black Cube w/ Durtysoxxx
Magma
Optimuss, Durtysoxxx (RUS/USA)
From the EP, ‘Black Cube’, Bitten Records.
Optimuss Soundcloud
Audio Stream
Friendship Goals
Optimuss, Dave Wincent (RUS)
From the EP, ‘Observatory’, Funk’n Deep.
Optimuss Facebook
Audio Stream
Clannish
Optimuss (RUS)
From the EP, ‘Clannish’, Hi Tek Records.
Optimuss Facebook
Liquidity
Optimuss (RUS)
From the EP, ‘Frozen’, Minimal Sessions.
Audio Stream