12/20/2020
👌🏻🔥
10 Questions for DVS1
01. You are Zak Khutoresky. Born in St. Petersburg Russia, immigrated to America at an early age, what does the artist name DVS1 stand for?
- DVS1 stands for the “the devious one”. The name was given to me by a graffiti artist friend who went by the name NVS1 (Envious one). In many places around the world, this doesn’t clearly translate. Devious, in the context I imagined and used it when the name was given to me, was stemming from deviation as opposed to being devious. I didn’t want it to have a negative meaning, so I interpreted it as never taking the straight line or always deviating from the norm. I embraced having an alter ego apart from being Zak.
02. What is your belief about life in general?
- That’s a rather big question, framed in a few words. If I had to try and keep it as simple as possible, I would say life is about the experience and adventure outside of the common pursuit of survival. It is very easy to get caught up in the day to day routines and distractions of society. It is much harder to create space within those distractions to actually experience life to its fullest. Creativity and the pursuit of one’s own happiness, pleasure or vision can bring a satisfaction and contentment that is beyond measure.
03. In my view, Techno can be separated into a few different styles. There is Fantasy Techno: a form that lends itself to creations based on imaginary scenarios and situations, Reality Techno: a form that focuses on the actualities of its day and time, Utopian Techno: a form that is specifically directed on visions and premonitions of the future and a few others that continue to evolve. Considering this, it is easy to imagine that Techno Music can be greatly affected by the ways humanity recognizes itself, its purpose and what it wants its future to be. How do you see yourself in this frame - meaning, how would you like to see your music creations considered?
What I have always appreciated about “techno”, specifically the kind we are speaking about, is the openness of the listener to experience it anyway they see fit. For the most part, this music is devoid of words or instructions. Specifically when DJing, I try to create an atmosphere where the listener and I are floating in the space between reality and dream. We can let go and see where it takes us.
I agree with your descriptors of techno in concept. I would even add another category to your description and call it ”mind and body techno”. While the beat is physical and moves our body, the tones, soundscapes and feelings push the mind into past, present and future thought.
04. In the future, Music could be considered more an actual experience than a listening review interaction. The “visitor” (or would-be listener), might be able to experience music in-the- making and in all dimensions and perspectives. Once this happens, music could have a great educational effect. This would surely change the dynamics of what it would mean to be a “musician”. Imagining this, what elements of the dance music do you think might be the most interesting to learn from. Are there certain values that are already transferrable?
- The elements of dance music that are most interesting to me are the physiological effects that happen in real time but are however currently beyond our normal awareness. If the experience was, as you describe, more of an interaction along the process, these effects would be visible from the creation level to the experience level and possibly make the listener and the musician more aware of the power and depth of the music from both sides. The perceiving mind is partially limited in its ability to deeply understand at all times. Perhaps in the future, musicians could be a more direct catalyst and music a doorway into the dimensions and perspectives, from education to the live experience.
05. What is the one thing in music you wish to see or hear more of? Why?
- Because of my personal experiences with music on a physical level, I really wish I could fast forward into the future where we are able to be even more immersed into the full encapsulation of the experience. To be able to hear, feel, see, smell, and even touch the music. To have the ability to experience the music with all of our senses would be a very powerful reality.
06. What does the title of your first album Beta Sensory Motor Rhythm mean?
- Beta Sensory Motor Rhythm stems from research into the effects of the dream state. While reading about the various moments and processes with the dream state, I discovered points of reference. The entire album, track titles and story were derived from my interpretation of the feeling that I am trying to achieve either playing or listening to “techno”. To only reference the hypnotic state would be to undervalue the process of getting there.
07. In a few words, could tell us what each track refers to?
01. Alpha-Theta - Electrical movement in the brain waves that can be thought of as a “beginning pulse” to the rising feeling of entering a dream-state.
02. Drifting - Gradually falling asleep peacefully, carried, rather than deliberate.
03. Delta Wave - Low penetrating - deep-stage REM sleep A.K.A. slow-wave sleep. Deeply penetrating, suspending external awareness.
04. Inertia – The twilight state, a transitioning. The physiological state of impaired cognitive and sensory motor performance.
05. Hypnagogia - To experience “hypnotic hallucinations”. Hypnagogia is the mental phenomena of lucid thought, dreaming & full paralysis. Speech can manifest as the subjects own inner voice.
06. Transient Response –The response of the subject to an event which affects the equilibrium.
07. The Five Aggregates - Material form, feelings, perception, volition and sensory consciousness. It is the exploration between person and personality. These are the ways of teaching rhythm and body sensation.
Could you explain more of this track in detail?
08. Solfäge’s Framework
- Solfäge’s Framework is actually the one track off the album which comes from a period over 10 years ago. Originally, I held this track back because I was unsure of its simplicity or power. After combining it with the other tracks and choosing to end the album with this piece, I realized its place in my entire body of creations over the years.
The following explanation states it best: Solfege (also called solfa, or solfeggio) provides a framework for melodies by establishing recognizable relationships between pitches, and training your ear to hear patterns. It is an excellent system for learning the architecture behind music, and is a fundamental concept of ear training.
08. Creating Techno music has really become about skilled artisans at work that requires many years of study. At this point in your career, does this first full album point to a direction that you will explore more in the near future or should we consider it a milestone in which to propel from?
- I try and be as honest as possible when creating music or DJing. Some producers have a goal in mind and are able to channel that into their process and finished piece. In my case, I am only capturing a moment in time and go with my intuition of how I feel and what I can channel out of my collected experience. I would never have imagined when I started almost 28 years ago that I would be able to express myself within music at the level I do now. This all came from my continuous push to pursue my expression and growth of my vision of music, life, society, etc.
As much as I may be known for a certain style or vibe I can create within those expressions, I hope to stay honest with my development and productions in the future. This album is a freeze frame of where I am today and when those pieces were written. I hope the next expression is another growth of that ability, even if only slightly different!
09. Looking around, in which ways do you see how Techno Music could be enhanced?
- I think experiencing techno in the “right way” allows the listener to understand the power of this music. To write it off as entertainment or just a repetitive drum beat is simplifying its potential. While there is nothing wrong with simple entertainment, the “techno” I speak of requires more of a willing participant and the perfect storm of sound, light, anonymity in listening spaces and openness to see it for what it is. Beyond the sonics of the experience making things better, I hope the culture surrounding techno can take a step back and see the pitfalls of following in the existing trends of all popular music and the oversaturation of mediocracy.
10. Of all the tracks you’ve made to date, which is the one you are most connected to – the one you use to measure your current and future work against?
-Evolve on Hush01. This track, when it came out, was a simple and exact identifier of my style of techno and the first release off my own label.
Beta Sensory Motor Rhythm (album) by DVS1 is AVIALABLE NOW in the Axis Shop at www.axisrecords.com.
