The musical segment of next week's Territoriya festival features a number of Russians who have gained a global perspective by living abroad. One of them is the Moscow-born, New York-based singer and musician Ilia Bis, also known as Tonearm, who plays at Apelsin on Tuesday and Thursday and at Ikra on Nov. 5.
The moniker Tonearm -- which comes from the part of a turntable that bridges the phono cartridge with the rest of the player -- reflects Bis' aesthetic. Just like a turntable is a piece of classic audio equipment that gets used in relatively new ways today, Bis' music melds the rock sensibility of his guitar and vocals (sung in lightly accented English) with a newer, more high-tech kind of instrumental experimentation.
"I've played in various bands, and so far found that working as a solo artist gives me a better way of expressing what I want to express," Bis said by e-mail this week. "Making music is largely a solitary experience for me, driven mostly by what's in my head."
Bis began making music at around age 12, when he jury-rigged a four-track out of two Polish tape recorders connected via a mixer he soldered together with a fellow young musician. Although he didn't study music in school -- opting for an education in applied mathematics at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology -- he got interested in computer-based music through his studies.
Reasoning that he would have more chances to study the field abroad, he left for the United States, did graduate work in sound analysis and synthesis at the University of Chicago, and finally settled in New York. He is now 27 and pursues a musical career full-time.
"New York is an intense locale, things are happening at a maddening speed," Bis said. "Moscow is calmer, its pace more suited for relaxing with friends, thinking, reading, having long conversations. I do feel at home in both places, but in a different way. But New York is definitely more of an influence, both because of its diverse music scene and because of its mish-mash of cultures and architectural density."
Tonearm's two appearances at Territoriya will be different -- the first will focus on material where Bis sings, and second will be oriented more toward electronic and instrumental tracks. The sets will also feature video sequences, which Bis considers an integral part of Tonearm's live performances.
Despite the control he gets from computer-based recording, Bis actively seeks ways to keep the music "real" and free-form in a live setting.
"A live performance is something where I can really abandon my studio perfectionism and try unexpected or rough things," Bis said. "There is an improvisational element in the way I interact with the computer, and some of the processing algorithms I run on my voice and guitar have elements of randomness built into them, so the results may be unexpected even for me.
"I've always been driven by the desire to combine creativity that arises in the context of 'a studio as a musical instrument' with the raw energy of a rocking live performance. I like interesting composition, off-kilter harmonies and crafting a musical story with precision and elements of surprise."
Tonearm plays in concerts on Tues. and Thurs. at 9 p.m. at Apelsin, located at 15 Malaya Gruzinskaya Ulitsa. Metro Krasnopresnenskaya. Tel. 253-0253. He plays again on Nov. 5 at Ikra. For details on Tonearm, see www.tonearm.net.
The moniker Tonearm -- which comes from the part of a turntable that bridges the phono cartridge with the rest of the player -- reflects Bis' aesthetic. Just like a turntable is a piece of classic audio equipment that gets used in relatively new ways today, Bis' music melds the rock sensibility of his guitar and vocals (sung in lightly accented English) with a newer, more high-tech kind of instrumental experimentation.
"I've played in various bands, and so far found that working as a solo artist gives me a better way of expressing what I want to express," Bis said by e-mail this week. "Making music is largely a solitary experience for me, driven mostly by what's in my head."
Bis began making music at around age 12, when he jury-rigged a four-track out of two Polish tape recorders connected via a mixer he soldered together with a fellow young musician. Although he didn't study music in school -- opting for an education in applied mathematics at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology -- he got interested in computer-based music through his studies.
Reasoning that he would have more chances to study the field abroad, he left for the United States, did graduate work in sound analysis and synthesis at the University of Chicago, and finally settled in New York. He is now 27 and pursues a musical career full-time.
"New York is an intense locale, things are happening at a maddening speed," Bis said. "Moscow is calmer, its pace more suited for relaxing with friends, thinking, reading, having long conversations. I do feel at home in both places, but in a different way. But New York is definitely more of an influence, both because of its diverse music scene and because of its mish-mash of cultures and architectural density."
Tonearm's two appearances at Territoriya will be different -- the first will focus on material where Bis sings, and second will be oriented more toward electronic and instrumental tracks. The sets will also feature video sequences, which Bis considers an integral part of Tonearm's live performances.
Despite the control he gets from computer-based recording, Bis actively seeks ways to keep the music "real" and free-form in a live setting.
"A live performance is something where I can really abandon my studio perfectionism and try unexpected or rough things," Bis said. "There is an improvisational element in the way I interact with the computer, and some of the processing algorithms I run on my voice and guitar have elements of randomness built into them, so the results may be unexpected even for me.
"I've always been driven by the desire to combine creativity that arises in the context of 'a studio as a musical instrument' with the raw energy of a rocking live performance. I like interesting composition, off-kilter harmonies and crafting a musical story with precision and elements of surprise."
Tonearm plays in concerts on Tues. and Thurs. at 9 p.m. at Apelsin, located at 15 Malaya Gruzinskaya Ulitsa. Metro Krasnopresnenskaya. Tel. 253-0253. He plays again on Nov. 5 at Ikra. For details on Tonearm, see www.tonearm.net.