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Interviews
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Miscellaneous
How the elements awakened – fragmentary memoirs
1. We were asked not to sing on our new album. By all kinds of people. They would walk up to us and literally beg: please sing nothing on your new album. Naturally, we’d ask, “would you like us to not sing something specific? Exactly which song would you like us to not sing on our new album?” “Any song, - people would implore, - please do not sing any song at all”. “Maybe you would also like us to not sing an instrumental composition?” “Yes, that’s it, - people would rejoice, - and instrumentals, too. Sing nothing at all!” “And what language would you like us not to sing in?” – we’d ask, just to make sure. In Russian, - people would shout in chorus, - first and foremost, don’t sing in Russian. Then, in English. And then, you may also not sing in all the other languages.” That wasn’t an easy task, to not sing anything in any language. One could even consider it impossible and give up. But we stood up to the challenge. Nothing is impossible for a true musician! Besides, we did actually keep singing throughout the recording. Only the microphone was off.
2. About Schostoccata. In search for some arrangeable material, Didorenko looked through the classical music heritage. Rockers have significantly abused many Russian composers, especially Bach and Vivaldi. Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky were black and blue from constant arrangements. Fortunately, some of Schostakovich’s output still remained intact, due to his illegible manuscripts. Without wasting a second, we grabbed a piece of his 8th Quartet and adapted it into our environment. Truth be told, we ourselves couldn’t figure out all of it, because what we got wasn’t the best copy of the score. So we had to put in some of our own chords.
3. Infinity Street is essentially a spherical composition for 4 acoustic, an electric, and a bass guitar, plus percussions. When necessary, it (the composition) can also be utilized as a double-sided symmetrical snowball.
4. Name picking was going full throttle, sweeping everything off its way. Over the Islands – our favorite guitar riff-rock – was originally dubbed The Rings of Saturn. Akimov didn’t like the title – the associative train brought him, mysteriously, to the Lord of the Rings. Thinking on, we arrived at “Bahamas”, unfortunately, only as a figure of speech. “Bahamas” is a great name’ – Akimov said. “Beautiful” – Soloviev agreed, - “but what do we know about Bahamas? Is there rock-n-roll there?” “We must go, - Didorenko said, with determination, - and find out.” “Hawaii, Majorca, and Fiji would also be nice, - Soloviev added, meticulously counting his salary.” “Let’s pick a more general name, like “Flying over the Islands” – Didorenko suggested.” “Better just Flying Over”, - Akimov suggested. “Better just Over the Islands,” – Soloviev suggested. At which point we decided to stop.
5. About Simoom. Originally we planned a fast-driven thing depicting a typhoon. As an experiment, we decided to play it live at the concert and subsequently, the composition changed it’s name and took a dignified third place on the new album. Special thanks to Yuliya Basis for the piano part. They are both beautiful.
6. Couple of words about Paranoia Blues. No, wait… I think there’s someone hiding behind this curtain…
7. The Three States were composed as a concerto for 2 violins. There was also an idea to write 2 States for 3 violins and 1 State for 5. In case anyone is interested what kind of states were meant, we have a few explanations. The simplest one: those are dynamic, static and kinetic. But feel free to conduct your own research and disagree.
8. Collision of the Elements is a 5/8 composition with alternating time signatures occurring in unexpected places. Kinda complicated.
9. Scenery with a Guitar and Sky Wide Open are pretty, decorative pieces in a relaxing-meditative mood. Music, like any other woman, can sometimes afford to stop making sense and start just being beautiful.
10. We’ve got several thanks that we’d like to deposit to the account of our percussionist Veniamin Rozov, because, firstly he played with us, and secondly, he regularly threw fresh wood into the fire of our ideas.
11. Awakening of the Elements – a fragment of the process.
Soloviev and his flute came to visit Didorenko, who was deeply and securely submerged in the recording of a new composition. Upon seeing his friend, Didorenko happily pressed a microphone against his throat and said: ”Play this: E-D-D-E”. Soloviev, unabashed, took out the flute, a piece of staffed paper, a pencil, settled comfortably on the sofa and got ready to write. 
D. (indignantly) There’s nothing to write! Just play E-D-D-E.
S. Wait-wait-wait, what do you mean E-D-D-E? I can’t just up and play E-D-D-E.
D. You can, too. Otherwise why did you graduate the conservatory?
S. And post-graduated as well.
D. Anyway, you should play here, first E-D-D-E, then G-F-F-G, then higher and more notes. Each time, higher and more notes, get it?
S. What notes?
D. Just notes, any notes.
S. You sure?
D. Absolutely.
S. Here you go, then!
Didorenko, rubbing hands, leaps to the computer and hits “record”. Soloviev plays a few notes and stops, pensive.
D. Great!
S. I doubt it.
D. Sounds cool!
S. Rubbish.
D. What the doctor ordered!
S. Totally sucks.
Pause.
S. Well, is it on?
D. What for? We’ve already done it.
S. (in disbelief) Really? No, c’mon, wait, I’ll play one more time.
D. No-no-no.
S. You drunk?
D. I’m telling you, it’s all fine.
S. (yells) Let me play again, you idiot, flute is out of tune, notes all wrong!
D. (doubtfully) Sounds OK as it is to me. All right, an extra take, just in case.
Recording on. Soloviev plays. Stops.
S. (satisfied) Now we’re talking!
D. (unconvinced) Yeah?
S. (confident) Of course!
D. I dunno, I think it was better the other time.
S. That other time, I played total rubbish. Now, at least it makes sense.
D. None whatsoever. Do it again.
S. I don’t know what’s not to like… OK.
Recording on. Soloviev is not playing.
D. Well?
S. So what do I play?
D. (exasperated) No idea. It’s all done already.
S. Yeah, I think so. Second take is awesome.
D. First take is perfect.
Akimov. (comes back from the kitchen, chewing) That’s it, then! We’ll take take one part one, and take two part two. And we’ll start mixing.
S. Thank God. Just make the flute really quiet, so it can’t be heard. It really sucks.
D. Flute’s great! But do make sure one can hear the guitar and bass. And the violin. And the keyboard, too.
A. Don’t worry guys! (Turns on drums, top volume). So how’s balance?
S. Super. A little less flute, though.
A. What flute? There isn’t any flute.
S. Aha. I guess all’s cool then.
A. Let’s even out those drums first. (Puts on headphones, becomes immersed in sound of bass drum).
D & S sit in silence for a while, then exchange meaningful glances, get up, and tiptoe to the kitchen to boil water for dumplings.
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Trajectories, with an aided eye 
Trajectories 1 - 3
Materialized in the summer of 2001 when the composer Soloviev - Didorenko had conceived something like a violin-and-flute concerto. All three movements were written one after another within few days; they represent the pure water crystal of the co-authorship. For example, the chords for the flute theme in the third movement were composed by Didorenko but the melody was written by Soloviev. Perhaps we shouldn't dig too deep into the details. We cannot help but mention, however, that Soloviev came up with two thirds of all the first movement's F sharps, whereas most of the B flats belong to Didorenko's talented pen. Another amazing fact is that there exists the arrangement of this piece for a symphony orchestra; the score is kept in a safe place. The Vienna Philarmonic has not yet risked to undertake the performance; so all our hopes lie with the New York Phil.
My Heart Was Crushed
Composed together with the Trajectories. Didorenko wrote the lyrics, and Soloviev wrote the guitar riff to be performed by himself. From the sound of it, one may get the impression that Akimov played the double bass. As a matter of fact, it was the violin put down an octave and played by Didorenko. A certain quasi-oriental flavor is explained by our quasi-love for it.
Splinters
A short but advantageous composition, since you get four Soloviev the flutists for the price of one, skilfully playing on four tracks, plus Didorenko the timpanist. Akimov made the noise.
Birds
A remarkable composition for those who like avantgarde, minimalism, improvisation, and all other kinds of modern obscurities. Unattractive guitar chords personify, as the rumour goes, the permafrost; flutes and the acoustic guitar scurry about to stay warm. A moody piece.
There's Day, Here's Night
A song. We, personally, like it. In general, we, personally, like all of it. A group of russian tourists who went to North Korea for vacation and missed their train could relate to this song particularly well. They sang it until they ran out of water and cigarets. Whatever happened to them afterwards remains unknown. Just kidding. It really is just a nice lyrical song with simple but expressive text. Was nicely sung by Alexei Rybakov and one more Alexei Rybakov as a back vocal.
The Two
Another flute/guitar composition by the same co-authors. Starts out of nothing with a soft flute solo and crescendos head-on to harsh atonal rock.
The Yesterday Night
"I just love to turn it on nice and loud in the car and drive cutting off the others," Soloviev admitted once.
The song's basis was recorded in the summer of 2000 while in Soloviev's village, in the field conditions. "We boarded the Oka and arrived at Vassily's hut, full of enthuziasm. To honor our arrival, the thunderstorm began, and a tree fell down on the electric line. As a result, we were left without electricity for more than 24 hours, so we had to go mushroom-picking, play soccer, swim in the peat lake, that is, to waste away the time."
Sirius
A Didorenko-Akimovian composition. It is a subject of Didorenko's pride since he played all the guitar parts while Akimov was putting in the percussion and aligning the structure.
Hills Are Breaking Into the Ground
A song with nice harmonies and interesting text. By the way, the English translation of this text is interesting in its own right. During the recording, Alexei Rybakov attempted to alter the words to "Bills are breaking into account" but received a note of protest from the authors. The music of this note had not survived.
Trajectory Z
The most freshly recorded of the album's pieces. In the coda, the theme of the "Hills..." song is quoted. The album's musical and ideological high point. Was written in the summer of 2002. Didorenko and Soloviev had instantly created the first few chords and came to a dead end of the creative process. After about a week of dead still, the inspiration came back and followed the composers up until Akimov gave the piece its final mastering and introduction.
The Day Has Come
An art-rock song in the best tradition of art-rock songs. The words "We will open our eyes" were written by Daniel Harms in his poem "The Song." On the whole, Harms' heritage plays an important role in Lost World. Also noticeable in this song is the flute solo with distortion.
The Curtain
The album had to have its curtain. It was found by Soloviev and Didorenko one beautiful summer evening of 2002. In the piece's middle section one can hear a fragment of "There's Day." To do so, one must first locate the middle section.