Kedr Livanskiy is the new face of Russia's underground electronic scene. The producer and singer—whose real name is Yana Kedrina—was born in 1990 during the crux of the dissolution of the Soviet Union. This nationalistic shift inspired the former punk musician, who found solace in the city's isolated electronic scene while drawing on Western influences. DIY collective Johns' Kingdom, of which Kedrina is a member, represent a new guard of underground Russian artists building an inclusive community and utilizing internet resources to build international relationships. Perhaps the best example of the latter is the producer's widely-acclaimed debut EP January Sun, which was released on Mike Simonetti and Mike Sniper's new imprint 2MR, after they discovered her songs on SoundCloud. Despite composing in one of the world's most austere climates, there's a warmth to her minimalist music, reminiscent of similar-minded outsiders including Hype Williams, Laurel Halo, and pre-Art Angels Grimes.
