Kate NV

Kate NV is the multifaceted solo persona of Moscow-based artist Kate Shilonosova. A changeling that follows afflatus in all its forms, NV is a student of architecture, illustrates curious, colorful characters, and improvises live with bells and water glasses amidst compact synthesizers and cables. NV emerged in 2013 a glittering apparition set apart from her other roles: fronting Glintshake, a post-punk project, and playing a part in the Moscow Scratch Orchestra. Her debut Pink Jungle EP was followed by the frenetic pop-leaning Binasu released by Orange Milk in 2016 and the minimalist exploration of для FOR released by RVNG in 2018. As her musical pendulum swings back from playful instrumental to surreal song, NV is paired with RVNG for the second time on Room for the Moon.

NV describes the songs of Moon as dear friends; each piece of music is a moody cinematic moment where NV performs with a cast of off-kilter objects. Influenced by Japanese 80s pop and Russian conceptualism, Viktor Pivovarov comes through when NV describes composing music. Imagine entering a cozy room that has boundaries but at the same time can contain an entire world. Celestial bodies party and time fits in a pocket. When composing, NV listens to her surroundings and daydreams while abstract electronics and enchanted songs visit. Recorded around Moscow with friends and collaborators, the music is a frothy distortion of nostalgic atmospheres cast in sax, bass, marimba and MIDI. Singing is at the foreground, beaming with assurance, delivered in multiple languages and characters. One gets the sense that NV as a performer has near infinite capacity to push further.