Perfect Stranger (musician) explained

Perfect Stranger
Origin: Yad Natan, Israel
Genre:Psychedelic trance, electronica, Techno (music), Progressive Trance
Years Active:2006–present
Label:Iboga Records, Digital Structures (owner)
Website:perfectlystrange.com

Perfect Stranger is the stage name of Yuli Fershtat, an Israeli musician, producer and DJ, born in 1970 in Moscow, Russia, moving to Israel at the age of 11.[1]

Fershtat has previously released music under guise of 'BLT'. Perfect Stranger is known for his own distinctive sound, characterised by beats and patiently built compositions. His music often defies genres,[2] bridging between progressive trance and techno[3] with a presence of tribal and psychedelic elements.[4] Fershtat released 8 albums, both as 'BLT' and as Perfect Stranger and a long list of 12”, EPs and compilation tracks and compiled few compilations.[5] He is also the owner of the 'Digital Structures' label, which he bought in 2011, and since then has been releasing music by himself and others on it.[6]

Music

Musical background and influences

Fershtat was surrounded by music since his birth coming from a family of classical pianists, and studied piano from the age of four.[1] He stated as musical influences psychedelic progressive rock, such as King Crimson, Genesis (band), Jethro Tull (band) dipped in some hard rock, such as Led Zeppelin & Deep Purple and some Blues.[2]

He also mentioned Jean Michel Jarre’s Oxygène as critical to his musical development and interest in electronic music.[2] In 1992/93 he visited India and Goa and discovered Electronic Psychedelic music (which he hated till that time and greatly admired since).[2] Another visit to Goa in 1994/95 solidified his interest in Goa Trance and Psychedelic Trance. During these years, Fershtat did not write music but was traveling the world and playing guitar, jamming with other musicians he met on the road.[7]

Earl years - BLT

Fershtat started producing after his friends bought him a synthesizer for his 27th birthday.[8] Intuitively he was drawn to produce psychedelic trance since he was very much involved with it at the time and felt close to the rhythms and the atmosphere that it produced, and believing that tribal music such as psychedelic trance is essential for people to unite.[9] He chose the name BLT, which stood for a favourite sandwich of his, to show a lack of ego in music, and that the name itself and what it says are not the important thing, as a kind of antithesis to blasting names, which a lot of groups use, especially in the trance scene.[9] The first BLT album Alchemic Anecdote was released on the Tel Aviv-based label 'Krembo Records' in 1999. His 2nd album, Presence was released on 'HOM-Mega Productions' in the following year.[10] BLT 3rd album, God is Love, featured more down-tempo music, with groovy and more complex rhythms, and was released in 2002, also on 'HOM-Mega Productions'. During that time period Fershtat started working with Danni Makov - former drummer of Nikmat HaTraktor, an Israeli rock band, and one of the most important drummers in Israeli Rock.[8] Together the two put on a live show, where the drummer play part of the set, that now felt more alive. Afterwards the duo extended their work and put out a 4th BLT album, Anything U Want on the label Tokyo Dance in 2004.

Perfect Stranger

In 2005 Fershtat decided to bring an end to the BLT project as he no longer citing lack of overseas bookings and his interest in Acupuncture and Chinese medicine as the main reasons. Then Michael Abel-Larsen, one of the owners of Iboga Records, suggested he produce music with slower BPM tempo.[8] He chose the name Perfect Stranger because of a Goa track by that name by Sandman and the Deep Purple song of the same name.[11] The first Perfect Stranger album, Learning = Change was released in the Danish record label Iboga Records, in 2006, and a remixes/collaborations album named Changed was released the year after and featured some of the most important artists in the progressive trance world at the time,[11] including Atmos, Vibrasphere, Ace Ventura and Antix, who remixed some of Perfect Stranger tracks, while he remixed some of theirs.[11] Free Cloud, the third Perfect Stranger's album, and Fershtat`s seventh album altogether, was released late in 2008, and is the album that brought him worldwide attention[12] that crossed genres and scenes and is considered by many to be his best album yet.[13] The inspiration for the album title was based on David Bowie`s song, as Fershtat claimed he " felt like that Wild Eyed Boy from Free Cloud, that David Bowie used to sing about 35 years ago".[14] Free Cloud was characterized by monotone, "technoidic feel", and cross over between genres[15] as Fershtat used the best parts in from the genres that inspired him, mostly techno.[14] [3] [16]

Perfect Stranger’s fourth album, Leap of Faith came out in 2012, also on Iboga Records. The album consists of 3 CDs. The 1st containing new compositions including collaborations with Eat Static, Liquid Soul & Loud;[3] the 2nd consists of new versions and live edits to already released tracks and the 3rd is a recording of a live set at the Indigo Festival, at the Sea of Galilee, Israel, in May 2012.[17] Throughout the years Perfect Stranger has performed live and as a DJ in many leading electronic music festivals worldwide. Thus, Perfect Stranger played Glade Festival UK in 2008[18] and 2009,[19] Symbiosis Gathering in California at 2009,[20] 2012,[21] 2013.[22] Perfect Stranger played most of Europe`s trance festivals including Boom Festival in Portugal where he played in every edition since 2010,[23] Antaris Project in 2010[24] and 2012,[25] Ozora Festival in 2012,[3] and many more. Perfect stranger is also very popular in Australia,[26] playing there at the Rainbow Serpent Festival in 2009,[27] 2011[28] and 2015,[29] as well as in Maitreya Festival in 2010[30] and 2014,[29] Strawberry Fields Festival 2011 and 2012, Subsonic Festival in 2011[31] & 2013[32] and the Eclipse Festival in 2012.[33] He also performed extensively in big festivals in Central and South America including Universo Paralello Festival in Brazil 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013,[34] [2] as well as in festivals in South Africa, New Zealand, Canada and many more.

Perfect Stranger has released four full-length albums between 2006 and 2012, and twenty one singles and EPs in the same period.[35] His tracks have been released on a number of record labels including Iboga Records, Flow Records, Tribal Vision, Echoes, Digital Structures and more.[36]

Discography - BLT

Albums

Singles & EPs

Appearances

Discography - Perfect Stranger

Albums

Compilations

Singles & EPs

Appearances

Remixes

Festivals

Notes and References

  1. Web site: BLT. Isratrance.com. 26 May 2023.
  2. http://www.mushroom-magazine.com/interview-perfect-stranger/
  3. https://www.trackitdown.net/news/show/105457.html
  4. http://realitysandwich.com/247316/perfect-stranger-interview
  5. Web site: Yuli Fershtat. Discogs. 26 May 2023.
  6. Web site: Beat.com.au. 26 May 2023.
  7. Web site: Interview with BLT. Isratrance.com. 26 May 2023.
  8. http://realitysandwich.com/247316/perfect-stranger-interview/
  9. Web site: Interview with BLT. Isratrance.com. 26 May 2023.
  10. Web site: BLT. Discogs. 26 May 2023.
  11. Web site: Interview Perfect Stranger (Israel) My City By Night . Mycitybynight.co.za . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110318015940/http://www.mycitybynight.co.za/interview-perfect-stranger-israel . 2011-03-18.
  12. Web site: Perfect Stranger. Lachlan. Kanoniuk. 20 June 2012. Beat Magazine. 26 May 2023.
  13. Web site: Perfect Stranger - Free Cloud - CD Review. Isratrance.com. 26 May 2023.
  14. Web site: Interview with Perfect Stranger. Isratrance.com. 26 May 2023.
  15. Web site: CHAISHOP - Chaishop Music News . Chaishop.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090209022128/http://www.chaishop.com/article/12464 . 2009-02-09.
  16. Web site: CHAISHOP - Perfect Stranger - Free Cloud (Iboga) . Chaishop.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081205112056/http://www.chaishop.com/article/12479 . 2008-12-05.
  17. http://idmmag.com/musicreviews/latest-albums-reviewed-here/perfect-stranger-leap-of-faith-%E2%80%93-iboga-records/
  18. http://hangout.altsounds.com/news/97952-glade-festival-line-announced.html
  19. Web site: Underworld to headline Glade Festival. Digital Spy. 26 February 2009.
  20. Web site: Symbiosis Gathering 2009. Songkick. 26 May 2023.
  21. Web site: Symbiosis Festival, Pyramid Lake, NV - 5/17-21. 25 May 2012. Jambands.com. 26 May 2023.
  22. Web site: Closer Apart at Symbiosis Gathering 2013 in California from September 19-23. Open-records.net. 22 July 2013.
  23. Web site: BOOM FESTIVAL, 1997-2014, Oneness Music Arts Environment Culture Love . Boomfestival.org . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141219115315/http://www.boomfestival.org/boom2014_splash/index.html . 2014-12-19.
  24. Web site: ॐ Antaris Project 2010 ॐ at Segelflughafen Otto-Lilienthal (Rhinow) on 16 Jul 2010. Last.fm. 26 May 2023.
  25. Web site: Antaris Project 2012 at Segelflughafen Otto-Lilienthal (Rhinow) on 13 Jul 2012. Last.fm. 26 May 2023.
  26. Web site: Rainbow Serpent Will Be Perfectly Loud In 2015. Scenestr.com.au. 26 May 2023.
  27. Web site: Mix up. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  28. Web site: Rainbow Serpent Announces 2nd Line Up Beat Magazine . Beat.com.au . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141128114605/http://www.beat.com.au/content/rainbow-serpent-announces-2nd-line-1 . 2014-11-28.
  29. Web site: Eventful: See Calendar of Events & Shows. Audacy.com. 26 May 2023.
  30. Web site: Rainbow Serpent Will Be Perfectly Loud In 2015. Scenestr.com. 26 May 2023.
  31. Web site: Subsonic Music Festival 2011. Songkick. 26 May 2023.
  32. Web site: Subsonic 2013: A Festival That Just Gets It. Stoneyroads.com. 26 May 2023.
  33. Web site: A Talk with Perfect Stranger . Realitysandwich.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150210104425/http://realitysandwich.com/247316/perfect-stranger-interview/ . 2015-02-10.
  34. Web site: Universo Paralello Festival # 10 Years Anniversary · 29 Dec 2009 · Praia do Garcez (Brazil) . Goabase.net. 26 May 2023.
  35. Web site: Perfect Stranger. Discogs. 26 May 2023.
  36. Web site: Perfect Stranger . Luminate Festival . 14 December 2014.
  37. Web site: A Farewell From inthemix: Thanks For All The Memories. 31 October 2018. Junkee.com. 26 May 2023.
  38. Web site: Strawberry Fields At Tocumwal Bushland Beat Magazine . Beat.com.au . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130117042852/http://www.beat.com.au/festivals/strawberry-fields-tocumwal-bushland . 2013-01-17.
  39. Web site: Final Line Up. Eclipse 2012. 14 December 2014.
  40. Web site: Universo Paralello New Year's · 28 Dec 2006 · Pratigi - Bahia (Brazil) . Goabase.net.
  41. Web site: Universo Paralello # 8 - the New Years Festival of Brazil · 28 Dec 2007 · Bahia (Brazil) . Goabase.net.
  42. Web site: Universo Paralello #12 at Praia de Pratigí (Ituberá, BA) on 27 Dec 2013. Last.fm. 26 May 2023.
  43. Web site: Time and Space Festival. Saville. Adam. DJ Mag. 14 December 2014.
  44. Web site: Welcome to the much anticipated first music line-up announcement for Luminate 2015!!!. 17 October 2014. Luminate Festival. 14 December 2014.
  45. Web site: Luminate Festival 2011. 27 January 2011. Eventfinda.co.nz. 26 May 2023.

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