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12"
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U 13001EP
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Long-overdue repress of the 1998 classic Ural 13 Diktators debut release. From ghetto techno to Hi-NRG influenced Neo-Soviet Electroclash and traditional melodies. Mastered from the original tapes and lacquer cut in 2025 by Mike Grinser at Manmade Mastering, Berlin. Slava Ukraini!
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CD
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FORTE 007CD
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"Pretty kickin' new full length by DJs Lauri Pitkänen and Lauri Vertanin on Christian Morgenstern's Forte imprint. Below is an excerpt from an interview with Pitkänen and one DJ Tsukasa Kato, which does more to flesh out the Diktators sound and philosophy than I could ever hope to. Q: "Please tell me about your profile." A: " We come from Helsinki, Finland that is located in the between of Russia and Western Europe. Because we have grown up with really different musical influences like Hi-NRG disco and Russian folk songs our music has been formed to something that is recognized around the world as Sound Of Helsinki. Currently we're working heavily on our own label Ural 13 Records but also with other international labels such as Low Spirit, Forte Records and Rapture just to name a few. What you guys probably have heard before about Finland is the moomin characters." Q: " What is the meaning of 'Ural 13 Diktators'? " A: " The people who these days live in Helsinki are originally from the Russian Ural Mountains. Ural 13 is a large crew that is ruled by us, the diktators. Number 13 is our lucky number." Q: "You always look like soldier on your artist photos. Does it mean something or nothing?" A: "The clothes give our live appearances more colour and atmosphere. Military clothes describing the hard kicking techno sounds of our music and the pink colour the disco atmosphere on it. We also feel comfortable wearing these uniforms as we both have served in the Finnish army's elite forces." Q: "Now In Japanese club scene, 80's Disco sounds: Patrick Cowley, Divine (Bobby O), Sylvester and Man Parrish ... are estimated again. I think you have a great interest in 80's disco sound. What is the different between this sound and URAL 13 Diktators' sound?" A:" For us those cult Hi-NRG producers of 80s are the true inventors and innovators of electric dance music. They invented techno like it's known today: straight mechanic beats and percussion with futuristic synthetic sound with progressive and repetitive structure. Patrick Cowley's tragic death in November, 1982 was a great loss to modern dance music and maybe because of that the Detroit based producers got the status of techno inventors in the minds of many people. We give great respect to the creators of Hi-NRG music but our music takes influences also from the melancholic Russian and Finnish folk songs. These elements mixed with modern techno we are proud to call sound of Helsinki." Q: " Lastly send a message to Japanese." A: " 80s Hi-NRG is Still alive. Join the Party!".
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