Fotomoto

Fotomoto's refined approach to electro-pop was cultivated in the isolation of Zaporozhye, Ukraine, sharing unlikely quarters with Europe's largest nuclear energy plant. Starting in 1999 as the instrumental project of Sergey Sergeyev and Anton Singurov, and boasting a collection of antique keyboards and an old PC, Olya Volodina added her playful French lyrics about the fleeting dreams of a far-off land. A driving electronic heartbeat was provided by technician Alexander Ivanov, creating a chilly but affable sound that recalled predecessors like <a href="spotify:artist:762310PdDnwsDxAQxzQkfX">Depeche Mode</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:662bj9rCw8Twt6JDAMmMDb">Stereo Total</a>. Hailing from Ukraine's eastern territory, Fotomoto's first language is Russian, but in 2001 they went European after British DJ John Peel played their tracks on his popular radio show, developing a small following among Peel's listeners. However, they hit a wall when they attempted to export music from corrupt, bureaucracy ridden Ukraine. They were released originally on the Russian label Taiga Sounds in 2002, counting themselves among the most Western-inspired artists in Ukraine. In June of 2002 a limited-edition 7" vinyl split single Le Sport, la Musique was released with U.K. post-rockers <a href="spotify:artist:0N4OZcFaKhzuENjKuorgSc">the Workhouse</a> on the British indie label Jonathon Whiskey Records. A 2003 album, Suranov, A?, was released on Oleg Nesterov's Snegeri label and on the Moscow label Legkie. In 2005 they made a pilgrimage to London to play in Peel's studio, but the DJ died soon after and their recordings remained largely untouched. Nevertheless, Fotomoto's music found its way to the Danish label Copenhagen Sound, who released their 2005 album, Model. Fotomoto's live shows, mostly in Ukraine, often consist of the group's original compositions, as well as cover versions of '80s dance hits. ~ Sabrina Jaszi, Rovi