“Loving Heart” by Poity and Vodomirov is defined by its warm, organic piano chords, crisp hi-hats, and creatively manipulated vocals. The release is complemented by a cool remix from Louf. Read our discussion below!
Tell us a bit about yourselves: how did you get into music, how did your duo come together, and what are you up to in Bali these days?
Poity:
I’m from Vladimir and I’ve been into music since I was a child – I trained as a classical pianist, but over time I got really drawn to electronic music and improvisation, especially when combined with visual arts. I try to bring all of that into our projects now. VodomiroV and I first met in St. Petersburg, at a poetry evening in Yelagin Palace. I was accompanying the poets on piano, and Artem had come along to support some friends. We quickly realised we shared a similar outlook on creativity and sound. These days, we’re living in Bali, developing our educational project and label, New Tone Academy, and working on new tracks.
VodomiroV:
I’m from St. Petersburg. I started out as a beatmaker and hip-hop artist, but I was always drawn to experimenting with sound, synthesis, and production, which eventually led me to electronic music. When I saw Masha improvising on the piano at that poetry night, I instantly fell for her groove and sense of harmony – I basically asked her to teach me, and from there everything took off. Bali has become the perfect place for us to create and share ideas. The musical culture here is so rich, the traditions, the nature, the energy of the sun – it’s all incredibly inspiring. Plus, Bali is a real international hub, where it’s easy to meet and collaborate with musicians from all over the world.
How would you describe your sound in three words?
Poity: Harmony, vibe, freedom.
VodomiroV: Experimentation, groove, atmosphere.
Which artists and people have had the biggest influence on you as musicians and producers?
Poity:
I was hugely influenced by Russian classical composers I played at music college – Rachmaninov, Scriabin, Shostakovich, Prokofiev. I’m also really into American minimalists like John Cage and Steve Reich. In electronic music, the ones who’ve really stuck with me lately are Kara-Lis Coverdale, Kllo, and De Leon.
VodomiroV:
I’m inspired by electronic musicians who blend an organic approach with improvisation, spontaneity, and technology – people like Sebastian Mullaert, Dorisburg, Stimming, and some of the rising stars from the UK, especially artists on the Valby Rotary label. I’ve realised I’m often drawn to British, Scandinavian, and German musical traditions, but lately my influences have been getting more global.
If your music were a film, what would it be and why?
Poity:
Tarkovsky’s “Mirror” – it’s an autobiographical film where he reflects on the Russian soul, family, the countryside, childhood, and identity. It’s a deep and beautiful piece of work that reveals new secrets and broadens your perspective every time you watch it.
VodomiroV:
Two films come to mind: the Soviet sci-fi “To the Stars by Hard Ways” (1980) and “Under the Skin” (2013) with Scarlett Johansson. Both are mysterious and otherworldly, with alien protagonists trying to understand human feelings, morality, and what it means to be human. There’s a similar sense of otherness and inner searching in our music, a desire to keep our own world alive within the wider world. And honestly, I’d love to write soundtracks for films like that.
How did the idea for New Tone Academy and the label come about? What values and goals do you put into the project?
Poity:
We wanted to create a supportive environment where we could develop our skills, share our experience, and give anyone the chance to enjoy making music – whether as a hobby or professionally. We regularly connect with producers from all over the world, and then share what we’ve learned with our Russian-speaking audience.
VodomiroV:
We see New Tone Academy as a platform for sharing knowledge and inspiration, where anyone can find their own path in music and unlock their creative potential. Since we started in 2013, loads of our graduates have found their way in the music world – they’re releasing on labels, working in professional studios, collaborating with film companies like Marvel, and even winning awards at Cannes, like our graduate who was a sound engineer on the film “Ayka”.
What’s your creative process usually like? How do you combine classical music training, experiments with electronics, and working with modern technology?
Poity:
I often start by improvising on the piano or synth, and then together we look for unusual sounds and rhythms, using electronic instruments and effects.
VodomiroV:
I like to mix live recordings, samples, field recordings, and randomisation algorithms to create something new and unexpected, while keeping an emotional core.
Can you share any funny habits you’ve noticed in each other while working together?
Poity:
VodomiroV always carries a little Zoom IQ7 stereo recorder for iPhone in his bum bag, so he can capture interesting natural sounds or street musicians at any moment.
VodomiroV:
Poity is super particular about vocal sound – she’ll spend hours experimenting with effects to get interesting reverb and delay tails. She likes the vocals to be really loud. At first, I thought it was a bit odd, but over time I’ve come to love that balance – it’s become our signature.
How did the track “Loving Heart” come about? Do you remember the moment the main musical idea appeared, and how did the improvisation go?
Poity:
It all started with a piano improvisation, when I remembered an old motif from my early work.
VodomiroV:
Yeah, and I immediately felt there was something special in that improvisation. So I grabbed my Zoom IQ7 from my bag and hit record.
Why did you decide to record the piano and vocals on an iPhone with the Zoom IQ7, even though you were in the studio? Did you run into any unexpected pros or cons with that approach?
Poity:
We didn’t want to lose the spontaneity, so we didn’t bother setting up microphones. Recording on the iPhone with the Zoom IQ7 in M/S mode gave us a really wide and rich sound.
VodomiroV:
That approach helped us keep the live feel and added some interesting stereo dynamics, though we did have to do a bit of work later to balance out the noise.
How did you work with the recording in Ableton Live afterwards? What creative decisions were key for you in arranging and processing the material?
Poity:
We sped up the tempo, moved the Warp markers around to add some electronic accents, but kept the acoustic nature of the recording.
VodomiroV:
That was actually the first time I used rack-mounted instrument stands for Ableton Live made by Louf. I generated some percussion, added beats and bass, and played with macro-dynamics: in the first part of the track, I left only the MID elements of the piano and vocals, and in the climax I brought in the SIDE to make the sound as big as possible.
How do you define “honest and real” music for yourselves? How did that philosophy come through in your work on Loving Heart?
Poity:
For me, honest music is when you’re not afraid to be vulnerable and share real emotions. With Loving Heart, we really tried to keep that feeling.
VodomiroV:
I think it’s important not to hide behind technology, but to use it to bring out the idea. As usual, we didn’t chase perfect sound purity – we left in the room noise, pedal creaks, all those little details that highlight the uniqueness of the moment.
Where or in what state do you think people can listen to your music? Do you have any favourite listening scenarios?
Poity:
I love travelling – just a couple of days ago, T?ma and I got back from a trip to the Komodo archipelago. The nature on Padar Island, with its steep volcanic hills and deep bays, really reminds me of Loving Heart. Places like that can only be created by a loving heart.
VodomiroV:
I prefer to listen to music thoughtfully, really immersing myself, ideally on a good sound system at home or in a studio. But I think our music works well as a soundtrack for walks, road trips, or even letting loose on the dancefloor.
How did you first discover Louf’s music and the Valby Rotary label? What is it about their approach to sound that resonates with and inspires you?
Poity:
We’ve been following Valby Rotary’s releases for ages – their music has always stood out for its depth and attention to detail.
VodomiroV:
I’m really inspired by Louf, Tom VR, the founders of Valby Rotary, and their artists. Earlier this year, I found out Louf makes tools for Ableton Live, gave them a go, and they really fit my production style – they let you create unique, semi-random rhythmic structures.
What made you reach out to Louf and suggest a joint lesson? How did your first online meeting go, and what stood out about it?
Poity:
As producers and co-founders of an educational project, we regularly connect with colleagues to pick up fresh ideas we can share with our students and use in our own production. We were really impressed by Louf’s tools, and when we found out he teaches, we wanted to learn more about his approach, so we decided to write to him.
VodomiroV:
The meeting was really warm – Louf showed us some genuinely original techniques, we shared ours too, and we immediately felt a creative connection.
Why did you ask Louf to remix Loving Heart? What did you feel when you first heard his version?
Poity:
We were curious to see how Louf would reinterpret our track through the lens of his signature sound.
VodomiroV:
When we heard the remix, it was a real “wow” moment – he kept the emotional depth but added his trademark broken rhythms and atmosphere.
How do you rate the result of your collaboration with Louf? What’s most important to you in these kinds of international creative exchanges?
Poity:
For me, it’s a perfect example of how music can bring people together from different corners of the world and create something new.
VodomiroV:
Absolutely – collaborations like this are always enriching, they give you a fresh perspective and inspire you to keep experimenting.
What are New Tone Academy’s plans for the near future? Are you planning new releases, bringing in like-minded remixers, or collaborating with new artists?
Poity:
We want to keep releasing our own tracks and invite artists who share our approach to music and experimentation to collaborate.
VodomiroV:
There’ll definitely be new remixes and unexpected collaborations in our upcoming releases – we’re always open to dialogue and looking for kindred spirits.
Thank you!
Follow our Spotify playlist Hollow Nest feat. Poity x VodomiroV
Secret Eclectic 