Theodor Bastard

Theodor Bastard
Background information
Also known as Fedor Svoloch
Origin St Petersburg, Russia
Genres World music
Dark wave
Trip hop
Neofolk
Ambient music
Years active 1996 – present
Labels Fulldozer Records
Q-Code Records
Planktone Productions
Species Of Fishes
Pandaimonium Records
The Art Records
Noise Kontrol
Muzikal Yapım
Manchester Files
Twilight Records
Theo Records
Danse Macabre Records
Associated acts Shiva in Exile
Website theodorbastard.com
Members Fedor Svoloch
Yana Veva
Kusas
Andy Vladich
Alexey Kalinovskiy

Theodor Bastard is one of the most unusual contemporary Russian musical bands, from St Petersburg. Its music combines elements of world music, dark wave, trip hop, neofolk and ambient music. Theodor Bastard creates mystical, archaic, atmospheric sounds. Female vocal by Yana Veva is the hallmark of the band. She often sings in idiosyncratic language. The musicians use electronic instruments: synthesizers, samplers, theremin; ethnic instruments: darbuka, ashiko, conga, djembe, daf, didgeridoo, bağlama, gusli, cimbalom, dulcimer, caxixi, agogô, bawu, mbira, marimba, udu, reco-reco, ocarina, morin khuur, tibetan horn, cajón, jew's harp, thunder tube; classic instruments: cello, harp. Theodor Bastard albums were released in 5 countries: Russia, Germany, Turkey, Mexico, Argentina.

History

The band was founded in 1996 by Fedor Svoloch. More members joined the band later, including vocalist Yana Veva who also participated in Shiva in Exile. The band's name became Theodor Bastard in 1999. At the beginning they played mostly electronic, industrial, noise music but later, after Yana Veva joining, their style started to crystallize gradually, balancing on the edge of dark wave, world music and trip hop.

In 2004 Theodor Bastard released the album Pustota. The album name is a Latin transliteration of the Russian word for emptiness, voidness. Considering a Buddhist concept Shunyata. This album has a great success, it was released in Germany (Pandaimonium Records), Mexico (The Art Records) and Turkey (Muzikal Yapım). In 2014 the remastered version named Pustota (Remastered) came out.

The band performed at famous festivals in Europe: Fusion Festival (2004), Dark Bombastic Evening (2012, 2013), Wave-Gotik-Treffen (2011, 2014), Castle Party (2014), Castlefest (2015) and others.

Theodor Bastard collaborated with many artists: Martin Atkins, Peter Christopherson, Stefan Hertrich, Fun-Da-Mental, Julien Jacob and others.

In November 2011 the album Remixed was released - the collection of remixes of Theodor Bastard's songs. Such artists from all over Europe as Riz Maslen, Animals on Wheels, Up, Bustle and Out, Robin Rimbaud, State of Bengal, Geomatic, Flint Glass and others took part in the work on the collection.

All 2011 Theodor Bastard worked on the new album. They recorded it in several studios at the same time. British band Fun-Da-Mental, African band The Mighty Zulu Nation, French singer Julien Jacob - took part in the recording. Many ethnic instruments as udu, mbira, marimba, reco-reco, caxixi, ashiko, and spring drum were used. Fedor Svoloch also used the instruments that he had invented and made of improvised materials, such as coconuts, door springs, empty bottles, and plastic. In February 2012 the album Oikoumene was released. Its name comes from Ecumene - an ancient Greek term for the known world.

In May 2015, Theodor Bastard released the album Vetvi. Its name is a Latin transliteration of the Russian word for branches bearing in mind the branches of the World tree. The work on this album took three years. On the album we can hear many guest artists: Buryat singer Namgar Lhasaranova from the band Namgar, multi-instrumentalist Phillip Barsky (harp and cimbalom), Olga Glazova (she plays the world's largest gusli), Chamber choir Lauda, vocalist Alexander Platonov (Ensemble of Ancient Peasant Music), Gulya Naumova (violin), Natalia Nazarova (cello). Russian horn, traditional Mongol violin morin khuur, ritual tibetan horn dungchen, ancient Russian gusli, cajón, jew's harp, dulcimer (a species of zither) - this is incomplete list of instruments. This album is characterized by special atmosphere of northern dawn.

Members

Discography

Albums

Singles

References

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