Fedor Pereverzev aka Moa Pillar is one of the most prolific and multifaceted producers on the contemporary Russian electronic music scene. His journey began in the early 2000s with an interest to 8-bit music and hip hop beats, over the years evolving into a completely different, deeper and more epic sound. His Humanity EP, released in 2015 on the underground label Full of Nothing was a truly immersive soundscape injecting bass into its underlying spirituality. His new record Hymns, out on the 28 July, follows the same path — although it’s becoming more complex and irregular, the beats more intricate and the distant sounds more clear. The relationship between sound and space has always been crucial for Pereverzev: as he grew up between the buzzing metropolis of Moscow and Russia’s vast, tranquil countryside, the music he composes tends to be grand and intimate at the same time. A sensation of limitless space can suddenly open up in a tiny club basement, and the collision of galaxies trickle down in the chimes of some unknown esoteric temple. Moa Pillar has also explored the folk music traditions of the Caucasus for the documentary Bonfires and Stars, collaborated with Helm on the project inspired by the landscapes of Siberia and did sound design for NASA’s Space Center in Houston. Pereverzev has clearly carved out a unique niche for himself, and he’s only just getting started.
Text: Anastasiia Fedorova