“It just so happens that my parents sent me to music school when I was a child in my native Russia – that’s really how it all began,” he explains. “I was born there and then we moved to Israel about 22 years ago. I have been back there too. For example, last year I was in Moscow at a gig. While the trance scene there is not so big – it is just starting – there is definitely a very nice energy for sure. Of course in Israel we have a lot of parties and clubs, but maybe less open air festivals.”
Indeed, being inspired by different genres of dance music over the years – including artists like Armin Van Buuren and Tiësto – Krivoshein enjoyed taking the next step and moving into production and performing live. “I was experimenting with all different styles of music until I settled on psytrance and progressive trance,” he says. “But for me, for sure I wainted to push to make music that was basically club trance.”
And that has been his raison d’être ever since. “I’ve just come back from a big June tour,”chimes Krivoshein. “It was really a crazy month; I was in Switzerland, Mexico, Germany, Italy and Brazil – and the rest.” Importantly too, this week marks a special moment in his life for another reason – the release of his debut album Complextro. “That’s right,” he professes proudly. “My first LP is coming out on Blue Tunes Records and is the result of almost two years of hard work!”
Complextro, literally defined as a dynamic and complex musical arrangement, reflects the nature of the work he has undertaken and accordingly, he felt it apt to lift the term for his own use. And with it, he had created a masterstroke of dark if not grand and progressive, psytrance. No less, he describes his approach to his music as particularly unrefined and ad-hoc. “I don’t really have a particular approach,” he says. “I like to make music that I can see; I try to keep things new and creative – I like to do things at a maximum level.”
Previously, he had released two EPs in 2012 on the highly regarded and prolific Danish label, Iboga Records. Further, he released The Ghost Rider EP and the Shock Therapy EP on Echoes Records, followed by Time Ghost as well as a number of compilations. With the studio being his greatest love, the man isn’t too fussed about not having any major pursuits outside of music. “Really, today I don’t have a lot of free time so my life is pretty much based in the studio or at gigs around the world.” But that sells him a little short: to suggest he has no other pursuits would suggest that his musical pursuits aren’t all consuming, or perhaps not where he wants to be – they are.
He goes on to describe two other musical projects he is involved in: “Other than Ghost Rider which is my production and stage name, I also do another musical project with a dear friend of mine, Ranji from Project Dapanji – that is called Class A. And then there is my other solo project called Magneto. I plan to do an EP with three or four solo tracks as Ghost Rider on Iboga Records – and then a number of EPs ready for the Class A project called Classic, Boarding Complete and Ready for Take Off. I have also done some remixes for artists like Ritmo and Symphonix as well.”
Finally, the man is looking forward to getting back to Australia for the second time this year. “The last time I was in your amazing country was in February and I have to say it was awesome! So to be coming back a second time is fantastic because I have the opportunity to play the Complextro album as well as a lot of new stuff I will produce following the album. I really like to play my sets live so that I can really present my music the way it was created to be. I look forward to seeing you!”
BY REZO
