Digital Mess [Interview]

Hailing from Russia, Digital Mess has been a fixture of the progressive house scene for the better part of two decades. The Tver resident first rose to prominence with a string of early projects for System Recordings, where he established a dark, cutting edge production style that made him a name to watch going forward. With an enthusiastic attitude towards experimentation, coupled with extraordinary creative vision, the next decade-plus would see Digital Mess continue to refine his sound, always remaining club-effective with standout releases via Constellation Music, Mango Alley and WARPP. Now, fresh off well-received remixes for Manual Music and UV, Digital Mess adds Higher States to his resume with ‘Moonbeam / Thunder Sighs’.

Progressive Astronaut caught up with Digital Mess to learn more about his Higher States EP, his background, electronic music in the Russia, DJing, and much more. Enjoy.

Hi Kirill, thanks for talking to us today. How has 2024 been for you so far?

Hi! Thank you for inviting me to the interview. For me, the year isn't over yet; I still have some releases and a couple of parties ahead. Overall, it has been an interesting year. I’ve met some fascinating people in the electronic scene, gained numerous new skills, and planned several new projects.

Let’s look back on the year up to now, what gig of yours has stood out the most and why?

I can't say. This year, I haven't had any perfect performances where I felt satisfied with myself. That's just how it turned out. 😊

Now let’s look at tracks (not your own), what is a track or tracks which have come out this year that has impressed you the most and why?

In response to this question, I can create a small playlist of tracks that I enjoyed the most this year:

• Mike Isai – Tunnel [Sudbeat] – a very beautiful sound.
• Meeting Molly – Overlook [Higher States] – quality musical hypnosis.
• Anton Borin – Submerged (Four Candles Remix) [Mango Alley] – a powerful driver of euphoria.
• Max Wexem – Rune [SkyTop] – a great electronic groove to keep people moving on the dance floor.
• Mr. Mojo (DE) - Tundra (Zaleski Remix) [PURRFECTION] – a simple yet captivating track.
• Roger Martinez - Portal [Higher States] – an excellent track to play at the peak of a set.

Of course, I'm not limited to these five tracks, but they were the first ones that came to mind when I started answering this question.

Could you take us through a day in your life, from a possible morning routine through to your work? What does a day in your life look like?

I must say that music is a very big deal in my life; it's my calling, but it's not the only thing I do. Music is my main hobby, but I also have a regular job, and my routine revolves around it. I wake up at 9, take care of my morning routine, and prepare breakfast. Then I turn on my computer and run a script that launches the software for my regular job. I work remotely for an IT company. After that, I have a typical remote working day during which I complete my tasks. At the same time, I can listen to something or think about music. Then I have free time, which I spend in various ways. Sometimes I work on music production, sometimes I go shopping, and sometimes I ride my bike (to maintain my physical fitness). Honestly, it’s just an ordinary life of an average person—nothing unusual, unfortunately. 😊

For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you?

In this regard, I definitely don’t belong to any majority. I am 34 years old. I have a musical education—I am a keyboardist/pianist and studied at a music school from the age of 6 to 13. I had a good chance of pursuing a career in classical music and even performed at concerts in conservatories in my country. However, in the last year, I suddenly lost interest in that and switched to composing electronic music. I am 100% self-taught. I haven’t taken any courses or watched any guides. But I did emulate others—specifically in terms of quality and certain techniques that I wanted to learn. I learned how to create kicks, bass lines, and other instruments, figuring out how they can or should sound, and so on. I wasn’t inventing a genre; I was learning to do what others had done before me. Overall, since no one was guiding me, I was left to my own devices and learned for quite a long time. Perhaps I am still learning, 20 years later. As for emulating others in terms of style, yes, that was also part of my journey. At the beginning, I emulated the popular Benni Benassi. Not to release that music, but for the sake of learning. Later on, I used many techniques I heard from Moonbeam and Deadmau5. Nowadays, similar elements are rare in my music because they feel boring, but some common features of the Progressive House genre that "everyone has" can also be found in my work.

How did growing up in Russia affect your music taste and direction into becoming a DJ and producer?

What I ultimately produce in Progressive House is unlikely to depend on my national origin. It's a series of coincidences, choices made, and the path I’ve taken in life. That's just how it turned out. Russia is quite a progressive country with a rich history and artists, poets, and musicians whose work is at the forefront of global art. However, electronic music is not a Russian invention. As a producer of electronic music, I don't think I bring any distinctly Russian elements to what I create. Yes, being Russian, I probably feel and express music differently than my colleagues from other countries. But then again, maybe not. There are plenty of amazing producers in other countries as well.

Who from your home country inspired you the most early on and why were they inspirational for you?

DJ Sergey Pimenov and DJ Agent Smith. I probably started listening to music with a straight kick from their early recordings or compilations, and I began to like it, which led me to start producing my own music.

DJ Vladimir Fonarev (aka FONAREV aka DJ Fonar). At that time, he played trance and had a radio show that I listened to. I never played trance myself, but his broadcasts helped me understand the scope of the electronic scene and motivated me.

Dolphin (an alternative rap artist from Russia). His music taught me about unconventional approaches and how to recognize when these approaches are appropriate in a given moment. It also helped me understand whether something is an unconventional approach or just garbage that ruins a song.

What are some of your best memories from first going to clubs? Were there specific nights or sets that really made you feel you wanted to pursue electronic music?

No, I don't have any similar best memories. I was already writing electronic music and knew that I wanted to pursue it before I went to a club for the first time. When I first started going to clubs, I just realized that I had come to the right place, and soon I was behind the DJ booth. The fact that I transitioned from production to DJing set me apart from my colleagues, and it still does. The most inspiring set I attended was a few years later at City club (Tver), where E-zee A.L. (at that time known as DJ Lesha Yozh) was playing. It was excellent techno.

You're a unique producer within the progressive house space, one with very distinctive design qualities and generally a dark, cutting edge style, how would you describe the music you make? And are you always producing with the dancefloor in mind?

I've come a long way, during which I have been and continue to be an underground DJ. I always try to keep the dance floor in mind when I write music. Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense for me to create dance music; I could just as easily work on a rock album or film scores. My music is progressive house, but it was created by someone who has collected and played deep techno, Detroit techno, dub techno, acid, and electro. In the past, I tried writing techno. Perhaps that influences my style, or maybe it's just that I don't know how to do things like everyone else 😊.

You have a new EP ‘Moonbeam / Thunder Sighs’ which is out now via Roger Martinez’s Higher States. Tell us a bit about the EP and what sort of vibe you were going for on it.

Roger Martinez is one of my favorite producers in the genre, and he is the owner of Higher States. This EP for me is a small venture into Roger's territory, capturing his atmosphere, melodies, rhythms, and aggressive sound, somewhat reflecting his style. I won't hide that while writing it, I was inspired by his music and aimed to replicate his atmosphere.

Is there a special meaning behind the track titles for you? 

Yes. At the very least, there is some superficial meaning in each title. Sometimes a track has an aggressive sound, and then it gets a fittingly aggressive name. Sometimes it's random, sometimes it’s not. Sometimes it’s based on the similarity of a sound in the track to something real. Occasionally, I approach the title more seriously; it comes from my imagination when I envision a music video for the track (if I were to make music videos). This was the case with the track "Strange Rain," and I even made a short video for Instagram where I synchronized the sounds of the music with lightning captured on camera. However, I also sometimes have quite specific references to something. For example, "Matter" is a reference to Dario Sommer when he discussed the relationship between mass and energy in the universe. It’s a mind-blowing fact. And the track I was writing at that time was blowing my mind as well. I thought that if I included this quote during the breakdown, it would create an explosive effect. Another example is "Dark Forest." In this track, I literally told the story of a hero who got lost in the woods and encountered something beyond human understanding. When I played this track at dawn during the Ikra Fest in the middle of the forest, it felt like a fairy tale coming to life. Overall, track titles hold special significance for me, even though it's "just" electronic music. But I got a bit sidetracked with the lyrics 😊.

How much play have these tracks gotten in your sets and to what reaction?

Matter is the most frequently played track in my own sets. It's a dancefloor hit and always the best track in the set. Dark Forest is for dark underground parties; I've played it twice, and it always keeps people on edge. Overall, I play a lot of my own music. Sometimes a certain 'trigger' activates, and I completely switch to my material. This happens spontaneously. I have prepared playlists, but I always play according to the situation.

Let our readers inside your studio for a moment, what is your current setup and what studio tools are featured heavily in your recent productions and more specifically on ‘Moonbeam / Thunder Sighs’?

I have a fully "inbox" production setup. The main VSTi used in these tracks are Diva, ANA2, Sylenth1, and Hive2. For some details, I also use Dune2 and Lush-2. Everything runs through Ableton Live 12. My workstation is a not very powerful Windows computer based on an Intel i5-12600 processor. For monitoring, I use HD 650 headphones. I also have DT770 and M50x and JBL305 speakers. My current room is not ideally constructed in terms of acoustics, so I work more with headphones than with speakers. This is not ideal, and I do not recommend this approach; however, it is a necessity for me. If I feel that I'm missing something or not understanding my sound, my producer friends help me out by providing an independent check and pointing out my mistakes. If the need arises, I can visit a more professional studio to be in a better reference environment. But generally, what I have is sufficient for me. I had hardware synthesizers about 10 years ago, but they didn’t work out for me. I have various controllers, but they tend to slow down the process rather than make it more convenient, so I don’t use them. Additionally, computer peripherals have a significant influence on my creativity. Some may find this amusing, but comfort leads to productivity. I have a good, precise mouse (Logitech G PRO Superlight) that allows me to perform many actions on the screen quickly and with minimal effort. I have two monitors that enable me to display a lot of information. My desk is specially designed to accommodate speakers, audio interfaces, and mounts for hanging screens to avoid getting tangled in cables.

This is your first appearance on Higher States which is a label known to be quite choosy in their releases, why do you think Higher States was a good home for these tracks?

This is an excellent label with a great style. Many producers want to release their music on it. I am proud that I managed to do so. At the beginning of the year, Roger made it clear to me that he would consider my demo. After that, I started working on tracks for him. Later this summer, we met at the Ikra festival in Russia. He was the headliner, and I represented the local scene at the festival. It seemed to be a surprise for him, as far as I can tell. After the festival, he reminded me about the demo. At that time, my tracks for him were almost ready. I wasn't sure if he would like them, but my concerns turned out to be unfounded.

Shifting to DJing for a moment, what were some of the main challenges and goals when starting out as a DJ and how have they changed over time?

When I started out as a DJ, the scene was dominated by people who were in it for vanity, popularity, and money, rather than to express their talent and contribute something meaningful to the art. Most of them were completely incapable of doing so, as they lacked talent. However, I had to compete with them and sometimes rely on their decisions, which was the main challenge. Over time, all these people disappeared and faded into obscurity. Or perhaps I simply established myself in my creative niche while they remained behind. In DJing, I don't set any specific goals for myself other than to perform well. DJing is an art form, and I simply engage in it.

What is it about DJing, compared to producing your own music, that makes it interesting for you?

DJing is interesting in itself. I don’t take on too much. I don’t show any extravagance during my set. I rarely wave my hands and don’t make any grimaces at all. Sometimes I even play in dark glasses to hide my eyes. My approach to performing is based on simply playing the right track, then the next right track, and then another one, and so on. I watch the audience's reaction, develop a narrative from that, and build a composition, all while enjoying myself and not hiding it. I start dancing and swaying to the music. The crowd, seeing this, somehow picks up on my energy and synchronizes with me. Sometimes at my performances, it reaches a sort of collective musical hypnosis, where every choice I make resonates with everyone present. That’s really interesting. And if my own track is playing at that moment, it’s even more intriguing.

Can you tell me a bit about how your work as a DJ has influenced your view of music, your way of listening to tracks and perhaps also, your work as a producer?

I worked as a DJ for a very short time at the beginning. In the rest of my story, I only perform as a DJ, or rather, as an artist. I do this irregularly, either on tour or at my own parties in my current residency. Therefore, I haven't fallen into the trap of completely catering to the audience. When listening to tracks, I ask myself questions: Does Digital Mess want to show this track to the audience? Do I need it in my set? And so on. From a technical standpoint, you can listen to a track in literally three seconds. Experience tells me where to place the cursor in the player, and if I realize within those three seconds that a track doesn’t resonate with me, I skip it. However, if it does resonate, I listen to it more closely and then decide whether to add it to my collection or not. By the way, with this skill and knowledge, I also try to create tracks that won’t be skipped in three seconds.

How much prep do you put into the sets you play, or are they spontaneous for the most part?

50/50. I always prepare playlists. I consistently gather current, new, and exclusive tracks. I arrange them in order, determining in advance where each track fits best. However, I never rely on these playlists blindly. If the situation requires me to deviate from the plan, I do so. I have a collection of music from the past year or more with me, as well as outstanding 100% tracks.

Current Top five tracks in your sets?

Marcos Calegari - Runes (Zaleski Remix)
Max Wexem - Rune
The Wash - Clusterfuck (Greenage Remix)
Ewan Rill - The Power (Dofamine Remix)
Sam Scheme - Alma Meter

If you are not DJing, producing or socializing at clubs, where do we find you? And doing what?

Perhaps for most of this time I am working 😊 However, occasionally I can play on the computer, go on a trip around my country, or go fishing.

If you could set up an event with a line-up of five artists of your choice, who would you book and what set times would you ascribe to the artists? (Do not include yourself)

may be…
Anton Borin
Mike Rish
Maetrik
Alex O’Rion
Tale of Us (up to 2017)

If you were not a DJ/Producer what do you think you’d be doing with your life? (Something not music related)

Music has been a part of my life since I was 6 years old, so I don’t have a clear answer to this question. I simply can’t imagine what I would do without it. However, I am generally a creative person, so the options are broad. I would say that I would probably be involved in another creative profession, but I’m not sure which one.

What’s something people do not know about you?

I often hear the phrase from fans of electronic music: “I didn’t know you were from Russia.”

What TV series have you been enjoying recently and what are some of your all time favourites?

Constellation, Dark Matter – science fiction. Paranormal Wellington – comedy. My favorite series is Futurama.

Apart from music, what makes you happiest?

Time spent with my loved ones.

What can we look forward to from you for the rest of 2024? Any releases or gigs you are looking forward to?

To be honest, I don't measure time in years. Some of my remixes and a couple of very interesting collaborations are coming up. I'm not sure if they'll be released before 2025. I'm also waiting for the release date of one of my EPs, for which serious artists are working on remixes. However, I can't share any details before the official announcement.

'Moonbeam / Thunder Sighs' is available now via Higher States: https://tinyurl.com/yeysrhtv