The Soviet Tape is a new collaboration between Fulgeance & DJ Scientist. Their debut single 'Moscow Nightlife' is the perfect introduction to their sound: heavy instrumental hip hop culled exclusively from Scientist's un-rivalled collection of vintage Soviet-era records. Scientist, one of Germany's most prolific record collectors (check out his incredible 'Soviet Grooves' mix for Solid Steel) dug out a slew of samples from his archives, enlisting Fulgeance (MPC virtuoso and one half of Souleance) who transformed the source material into a truly unique and original album.
Taking forgotten records from Russia to Moldavia, The Ukraine, Georgia, Lithuania, Latvia and beyond, the duo have interspersed the largely instrumental album with skits culled from 60s CIA documentaries as well as vocal cuts featuring Blu, Open Mike Eagle and DistantStarr. This all adds up to a release that is both a throwback to the uncertain times of the Cold War and a tribute to the great depth of music that the former Union was responsible for. Standout tracks include the aforementioned 'Moscow Nightlife', the synth-heavy menace of 'Vendetta', and DistantStarr's laid-back rhymes on 'You Know'. With high-concept artwork from Emile Sacre, taking it's cue from original Soviet records, the album is in turns jazzy, psychedelic and soulful, but with hip hop at it's core. A follow up is already in the works - keep 'em peeled comrades!