A decade a...

A decade ago, international exposure for an independent musician in Russia would have been unthinkable. Especially behind music as “rough, glitchy, and experimental” as the type DZA makes, since his beats sink plodding bass into scratchy loops, his mixtapes blend Soviet children’s songs and Ariel Pink with foul-mouthed, underground Russian rap and he’s the sole producer of all the beats for Moscow’s first-ever “hip-hopera,” a sprawling project called Cops on Fire.

Beg, Steal, or Borrow: New Beats From Moscow (Pitchfork)