XX:XX: the sprawling, electronic-infused video series of altered states and urban spirituality

Multifaceted creative Evgeny Gavrilov is known on the Siberian electronic music scene as the co-founder of label Echotourist, for performing and creating sets under the name Dyad, and being a part of the pioneering creative collective Dyad and Sleepers Club: a community of more than a dozen musicians pushing the boundaries of audiovisual music-making in Siberia.

Now, Gavrilov is making his directorial debut with XX:XX. Originally envisioned as a series of unrelated music videos drawing inspiration from the musician’s archives, the project soon took on its own unfolding narrative. Gavrilov worked as director, editor, screenwriter and composer, and subsequently began working on a soundtrack to support the story. “I would do the editing first, just to feel the dynamics and the vibe of the series, to see what tones and instruments would fit best, and then work on the music,” Gavrilov explains.

As a result, XX:XX took more than two years to make, with Gavrilov normally only releasing a small part of the material he was working on each month. But when the creative found himself hesitating halfway through shooting, he knew he had a community he could call on for help. An ad-hoc brainstorming session with The Sleepers Club turned up a wealth of inspiration, transforming XX:XX into a collaborative, all-Siberian affair.

Divided into three parts and three respective soundtracks, the project includes footage shot across Novosibirsk, Akademgorodok and Berlin. “Different characters and elements are connected in some way, but I wanted to keep the storyline subtle, mysterious, and open for interpretation,” Gavrilov says.

XX:XX will be released offline in St Petersburg’s Myth gallery to mark Gavrilov’s solo exhibition in September.