Russian DJ, producer, singer, goddess and trained dentist Nina Kraviz has hit back at critics of her recent Melbourne show in a lengthy Facebook post.
Kraviz played a wide-ranging set of beachside electronic music in St Kilda last Saturday, the headliner on an evening that also featured Marcel Dettman and Bjarki. And while her three-hour set was greatly enjoyed in the most part, she received criticism for not playing enough techno.
“It would have been another good show if not a very interesting feedback I got the next day,” she wrote on Facebook. “Some people were complaining and some even wanted their money back.”
It is not clear where the criticism originated, although in a previous Instagram post she can be seen vociferously defending herself to a would-be critic in the comments.
“Quite possibly they wanted 3 hours of long steady beat narrative and I offered something that didn’t match their expectations,” she continued on Facebook. “But surprisingly the most negative comments I got for playing that one wild track with a drum’n’bass segment in the end. Seems like d’n’bass isn’t so popular in Australia these days:)”
Still, she appears to be taking it all in her stride, and the vast majority of comments on the Facebook post and her Instagram are supportive, showing how well loved she is down under.
“Well what can I say. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but it definitely takes some time, experience and knowledge to form one.
“On this positive note I would like to send my warmest greetings to those who appreciate me for being myself. And those who don’t understand what I am doing -thank you for stopping by.”
Catch Kraviz’s full Facebook post, below.
Nina Kraviz Facebook Post
Cognitive dissonance story. Expect quite some reading.
Yesterday I played a show in Melbourne that took place on the beach. It was a special one for several reasons. There were about 4 k people in front of me and 3 astronomical hours for a closing set. I played straight after Marcel who left the crowd in a perfect mood. I played spontaneous, eclectic yet coherent set that consisted of a few different parts. There was a trippy relatively slower part that peaked with “Blood on my hands” Villalobos remix and an unreleased Erofeev “Abdumanob” that will be out on Nikita Zabelin”s Resonance label soon. (I was very happy about that particular transition that with the bay view in front of me, the sunset and strong cold wind blowing in my face took me into some other dimension)
Just before it got completely dark there was also non-4/4 part with Bjarki’s upcoming “Fresh Jive”, fucked up beated Eric Martin’s “Emergency” and that one track that has been an absolute essential “WHAAAAT???” gem in my recent sets that basically is a very bassy techno yet beatless sonic weapon with a repetitive Russian speech ( not mine) that suddenly for about 1 and a half minutes loses it’s own shit speeding up to 155 BPM, changes skin and one amen break into another turns into a proper drum’n’bass or even hardcore (in an old, d’n’ b related original definition of this term ) to finally drop the speed almost to 129 and become his normal self- a totally my cup of tea like tune. An absolute gem that is made by a Russian girl Mira aka ISHOME or Shadowax. The tune is called ” I want to be a stewardess” and soon to be out on my трип label.
There was also a proper Ghetto House/electro part with Dj Slugo “Wouldn’t you like to be a hoe” ( A track that I have been playing for about 10 years now) and a pussy track by dj Assault. Both tracks were played at their original high speed.
Last but not least there was also fast, trancy, acid techno part with some classics, unreleased and pretty hard to find tracks including one rare Australian made trance track that mimicries a techno track if served slower.
I have to be honest – it a was a wild, ravy mix even to my own standards:) I never plan my sets and it goes totally unpredictable. This time I felt comfortable and a bit lose and only on these sort of occasions I feel confident enough to play 100% Acidiferous-“tank” at its original speed without a fear of being misunderstood. The crowd was receiving it pretty well as far as I could see and the dancfloor was very full till the very end. And it would have been another good show if not a very interesting feedback I got the next day that made me write a rare post of such length.
Some people were complaining and some even wanted their money back. And it would have been totally fine but something about it really touched me deeply.
People wanted “techno” and I offered none in their opinion -in fact all I played was pretty much techno at least in my own definition but much of a broader spectrum. Quite possibly they wanted 3 hours of long steady beat narrative and I offered something that didn’t match their expectations. But surprisingly the most negative comments I got for playing that one wild track with a drum’n’bass segment in the end. Seems like d’n’ bass isn’t so popular in Australia these days:)
Well what can I say. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but it definitely takes some time, experience and knowledge to form one.
I grew up with a slightly different concept about music as one big sonic space with everything wired into each other. Following this concept the bridge between techno and disco is very short. On top of that I believe that music is about freedom of expression and a perfect tool to connect people of a different kind. I personally always loved less obvious or predictable sonic landscapes because the unknown was always more attractive to me than what I already have experienced. I always loved Laurent Garnier for this exact reason and for his ability to connect with music.
On this positive note I would like to send my warmest greetings to those who appreciate me for being myself. And those who don’t understand what I am doing -thank you for stopping by
Much love,
n
