Russian producer tapecut is a low key production powerhouse. In the past few years he’s landed a track on Quality Goods Records first compilation, competed in the Goldie Awards and dropped some of the hottest remixes out (‘richbwoii w/ t1r,’ ‘this is america’). His tracks have also landed support from RL Grime, GTA, UZ and more. With all that said, he’s truly just getting started. With two EPs in the works for 2019 already, expect to see tapecut taking over the trap and bass scene. Ahead of the releases we connected with him for an exclusive guest mix and interview. The mix is a showcase of his own work with 4 IDs sprinkled amongst originals and remixes. We also spoke to tapecut about his experience at the Goldie Awards, what it’s like in Russia, his upcoming projects and more. Check it out below.
Tell us about the mix. What was your goal when putting it together? What should we expect?
I want to share with people new facets of music, in which you can hear interesting melodic moves in combination with unusual chips. In general, this mix represents the style of music that I singled out for myself and continue to develop. You will hear a lot of bass sounds that will make your body move.
Were you born and raised in Russia? How do you like living there?
No, I was not born in Russia, I was born in Armenia, but when I was one year old, I moved with my family to St. Petersburg, Russia. To be honest, living here is fine with me for 40 percent. I would certainly like to move to Los Angeles or New York to work with great prospects and communicate with the right people because there are some difficulties with this. On the one hand, in America there are very big prospects for an artist, on the other hand, in Russia at the moment there is an open field and you can do anything.
What’s the electronic music scene like in Russia?
The electronic scene here is quite diverse and people write completely different genres here, but most of them are divided into 2 types: those who want to stay here and write what they write, and the second type is people who want to leave here trying to make their dreams come true.
I realized that I need to put in 10 times more effort than I am now so that people would hear about me not only in Russia but throughout the world.
Last year you had the chance to compete in the beat battle at the Goldie Awards. What was the experience like? Has it had any major impacts on your career since?
Yes, I was endlessly lucky that I got there as a member. This event gave me a lot of experience in life, including in music. For example, I realized that I need to put in 10 times more effort than I am now so that people would hear about me not only in Russia but throughout the world. At first, I doubted whether to apply for participation in the competition or not, but my wife, with whom we married a few months before the event, helped me with this choice. Thanks to her and faith in myself, I was able to take part in Goldie Wards. I also liked the fact that I was able to communicate with very experienced guys such as A-Trak, CRAZE, and many others.
You’ve got a collab EP on the way with NXSTY. How did that come to be? What made you want to work together? What should we expect from it in terms of sound and direction?
We started working on our joint album of 4 tracks relatively recently and it happened absolutely spontaneously. I don’t remember where I already noticed him, but I do remember exactly that I liked his approach to music and my unusual style and I decided to experiment with him and release a hybrid of our two styles. I think this should be very powerful and unusual.
I am preparing another EP for UZ’s Quality Goods Records. In this album, I want to show that my sound began to change with long strides and truly shake the modern listener.
You also have another EP in the works? Can you tell us anything about it now?
Yes, that’s right. I am preparing another EP for UZ’s Quality Goods Records. In this album, I want to show that my sound began to change with long strides and truly shake the modern listener.
You recently tweeted that you enjoy listening to your own music. How often do you listen to your own music vs. the works of others?
Yes, I remember having such a tweet and I don’t refuse it. I really think that we are writing the music that we would like to listen to. That is why I wrote it. I myself do not often listen to my songs, but it happens precisely in those moments in which you feel any strong emotions that you have ever wanted to express in your songs.
Your tracks have been getting support from some pretty heavy hitters. What’s the most surprising place that you’ve heard your work?
Yes, a lot of guys who supported my tracks, I remember I heard my tracks on BBС Radio 1Xtra, in the mixes of GTA, Fabian Mazur, and many more. It’s nice, once again making sure that you write music that even advanced guys listen to.
You’ve tweeted a fair bit about Skrillex. Is he your favourite producer? If so why? If not who is?
Skrillex is not my favorite producer. He is one of ten of my favorites along with Virtual Riot, Mr. Carmack, James Blake, Herzeloyde and many more.
I love cooking…I love to learn something new all the time…I love to swim
What do you enjoy most outside of music?
I love cooking because I have four months experience in the restaurant space.Other than cooking I love to learn something new all the time. If possible, read books, study social media marketing because at the time I studied as a marketer. I love to swim in the pool because it helps relax your muscles and thoughts. To be honest, I have not tried very much in this life, but I would like to. Most of the time, I’m busy writing music and improving myself.
What are you excited about for the remainder of 2019?
In 2019, I would like to change my style and sound to something newer. Meet a lot of interesting people, do something that I have never done, and continue to develop in music. Moreover, we will soon have a clip for the song ‘IMMORTAL,’ but before that my second sample pack will be released TAPEСUT DRUM KIT VOL.2. In addition to everything, a little later, a collection of remixes on the Weiture track is released, in which 10 very promising producers from the CIS took part.
P.S. Whoever does not know that I have released a PROJECT PACK, you can get it here.
Tracklist
1. tapecut – phorce
2. tapecut – this is america (instrumental)
3. tapecut – ID
4. tapecut – ID
5. tapecut – ID
6. tapecut x soulecist x xanubis – immortal
7. tapecut – give it to me
8. tapecut – weiture w/ xanubis (room583 remix)
9. tapecut – ID
10. tapecut – team supreme vol.150
11. moodygood – superlager (tapecut remix)
12. tapecut – richbwoii w/ t1r
