Moscow’s Kedr Livanskiy (real name Yana Kedrina) recently released her video for album title track “Ariadna”. Shot by Masha Demianova in the country of Georgia and based on the Greek myth of Ariadne, Kedr tells the story of the video’s creation:

“I asked Masha, an old friend of mine, to work with me firstly because I wanted to get away from the usual image which my videos have added up to. This is what the song requires and indeed these changes happening to me are reflected in the music, so naturally I wanted to convey them through the video. Masha works with mythical images and structures, blending them into the now in a way that doesn’t look staged, and that’s what I needed. The crew who worked on this video was all female which is quite important in the context of the song.

I’m also very grateful to Olesya, who worked on style and approached it as a true artist. The clothing translates the character’s condition delicately, linking it with natural imagery. I think we’ve managed to express the female archetype. Nature and beauty, divine and human, an odd combination which everyone actually has an innate experience of. It only has to be heard, this ancient, archaic knowledge of life. Accepting it at the levels of intuition and eternity, and at the same time endlessly rushing about in the labyrinths of worldly situations – one doesn’t exclude the other.”

To accompany the release of her debut album Ariadna, which is released on 2MR on September 8th. Kedr will also share a beautiful companion piece, a limited run of zines with images shot by Masha Demianova.

“Synthesizers help me maximally feel the present moment.” Livanskiy was born into a shifting and critical time for Russia. The Soviet Union had exhausted and old values were anathematized because of reconstruction. A sense of displacement drove Kedr to find herself. She’s escaped reality repeatedly in her explorations into the imagery and ideas of romanticism, mythical and fairytale themes which visibly bleed throughout her work and especially on her debut full-length Ariadna.

Albums and artists Kedr Livanskiy is inspired by in general:

Cluster & Eno
Biosphere – Shenzhou
Chris Watson
Some albums by Coil
NEU, Kraftwerk, Huerco S.
Muslimgauze, Psychic TV, D.Å.R.F.D.H.S.
Mono Junk – Gloom
Anthony Rother, Varg
Robert Turman
Boards of Canada and Aphex Twin are of course eternal companions and an endless source of inspiration.

‘Ariadna’
Kedr Livanskiy
2MR
Ariadna

1 – Ariadna
2 – Sunrise Stop
3 – Your Name
4 – Mermaid
5 – ACDC ft. Martin Newell
6 – Za Oknom Vesna
7 – Love & Cigarettes
8 – Sad One
9 – Fire & Water (Digital Bonus)
10 – Sunset (Limited Edition Vinyl Only)