Only Nothing is Changing..
Hailing from Belgrade, Serbia, MITYA presents a concept album filled with dreamy psychedelic moments that truly come to life when experienced from start to finish. A remarkable production waiting to be discovered. Dive into our discussion below to unravel the enchanting details!
Describe your sound in 3 words
Psychedelic, multilayered, intimate 🙂
Can you share more about the journey of creating TUU, and how the collaboration with shamans influenced the recording process?
Many of the songs on TUU were composed back in 2014. I had just purchased my first $100 guitar (which I still have), and I began experimenting with Ableton. During that period, I recorded the initial versions of ‘Where the Desert Starts,’ ‘Surreal,’ and ‘Cumpulele Rasita.’ However, I didn’t release them at the time because I had a specific vision for how they should sound, but I didn’t know how to achieve it. So, over the past few years, I’ve dedicated myself to creating around 40-50 different mixing versions of each track until I was satisfied with the sound.
The orchestral parts were also recorded in 2014 when a Kazan orchestra reached out to me and proposed a joint concert. They wanted me to beatbox (https://youtu.be/A94EEk2rZpU), and they played Bach. Fortunately, I brought about a dozen of my demos, we created orchestral scores, recorded them, and nine years later, I used them on the album.
The album really started taking shape in 2021 when I traveled to Altai. There, I interacted with local musicians and shamans, recorded their sounds, and continued my project ‘MITYA searching for sound.’ In the first season, I composed a mini-album and filmed a series in Tatar villages. It was precisely in Altai that the TUU style emerged, and all the key moments of the recording process can be seen in the ‘Altaidelica’ series on my YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/P93TO4UrnBw).
What inspired you to name the album “TUU” and how does it connect to the theme of mountains in Altai?
Basically, ‘TUU’ in Altai means ‘mountain’ (and it also means ‘birth’ in Tatar, which is my heritage, by the way). It’s such a beautiful word! My wife, Liyolei (who is also the artist behind the album art and featured in several tracks), came up with the name, and it felt 100% right for this project.
Could you delve deeper into the significance of the mountain motif in your album, especially in terms of the musical structure and emotional journey it represents?
Yeah, I feel like the title is the leitmotif of the entire album because I see mountain shapes everywhere. When I finished the album and listened to it with fresh ears, I realized that the melodies of vocals and instruments are kind of symmetrical, going up and down, reaching a peak, just like a mountain silhouette.
Writing the album, I experienced the same roller coaster as Altai mountains: elevated mood, everything’s beautiful, and then suddenly a sharp drop, hitting rock bottom. The spirit of the mountains deeply influenced my life and music. So, the album itself is like a huge mountain I’ve been trying to conquer all these years, and now I’ve finally reached the summit and am amazed by its beauty.
Can you describe one specific moment or experience in the creative process where the Altai mountain spirit deeply influenced the direction or outcome of a particular song?
We spent about two weeks in Altai. One day, we visited musician Roman, and I played him demos of my songs. He quickly improvised on top, playing on flutes, topshur, and even using jatagan and komys (there will be a separate episode in Altaidelica about this). When I reached ‘Where the Desert Starts,’ he suddenly set aside all the instruments and began singing powerfully. It was like a cry into the void, as if emitted by a person wandering through the desert for years on the brink of exhaustion. It was so beautiful that it gave me goosebumps. His voice became one of the brightest moments on the album, especially in the song’s intro.
That’s when I realized that the collection of demos I had lived with for several years was truly transforming into an album.
Most importantly, on that same evening, I tried to open a pear-flavored soda and accidentally cut myself badly on the glass, nearly losing two fingers. It was terrifying because I was literally in the middle of the desert at night. Two years have passed since that incident, but fortunately, I can say that it left me with scars. That night, the spirits certainly had their presence felt.
In which place or state of mind do you imagine people might listen to your music?
My favorite albums work in all states of mind. They are there for you when you’re feeling awful, seeking a place to take cover, and they also magnify my happiness when everything in my soul is shining. I aimed to create an album that’s not tied to any specific time or mood. It flows like a mountain river, gradually changing its temperature and speed over time.
I imagine the ideal place for listening is a nature walk. Start playing the album half an hour before sunset and immerse yourself in it. It might sound somewhat grandiose, and surely, half of the people will probably listen to it with their AirPods in the subway, but that’s fine. The most important thing is that you enjoy it and it uplifts your soul. In my opinion, that’s the best thing music can do.
If the music of MITYA was a film, which film would that be?
It would be ‘Man on the Moon’ meets ‘The Mystery of the Third Planet.’ Or, wait a minute, it would be ‘Altaidelica,’ of course! Ha.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Remember that you will die someday. Okay, what else… Also, no matter how good a person you think you are now, it’s highly likely you will cringe at your present self in 10 years. Just be empathetic, listen to yourself, most dreams are achievable but will require a lot of time. So enjoy the process, right? AND ALSO, I LOVE YOU, COME HERE, BABY BOY!
Thank you!
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