Serge Bulat A Highly Talented Artist

Twist Online : First tell us a little about your past and start of your music career.
Serge Bulat : After completing music school, singing in a band, working out a career in radio, and experiencing full spectrum of Academy of Arts, the most logical thing for me to do, –  was starting my own project.  Oddly enough, that was the last thing on my mind. I felt like I could postpone it indefinitely. Moving to New York was a deal breaker; I absorbed all I could from the city – from music scene to exhibitions and existential discussions at the coffee houses. The more I soaked in all that, the less I wanted to make music or sound anything alike. Avoiding working on my own stuff led to producing for other people. Then I felt that I’ve accumulated enough to make a statement and started putting ideas together for “Queuelbum”. While working on the project, I realized that inspiration came from the time I was trapped in my little hometown back in Moldova.  The strong motivation to experience the world in full, to break through, wouldn’t be possible without that feeling of isolation. Officially, 2013 – is the year of making of my solo career.

Twist Online : You were attracted towards music from a very early age. Is there any influence behind this? You also took proper Music education. How much difference did it make in your professional career?
Serge Bulat : I was surrounded by musicians, from my family to friends … and honestly didn’t know any better. The strangest thing was, – none of them wanted to do anything about it. My grandfather composed 300 music pieces, but never shared them with the public. So, for me, music was always something sacred but intellectual, almost academic… and a little selfish….  I rebelled against it in my own way, founding pleasure in listening to folk choirs and electronic music from 90s. Proper musical education to me was short of improvisation… Well, I was a very naughty kid. Finding my sound and writing music was the mission. At that point I knew:  I’d always have to deal with my own conflict of proper versus experimental, classical against electronic etc…
I think this internal conflict we carry is what makes us thinkers or artists… or both.

Twist Online : Do you work according to plans to achieve your goals?
Serge Bulat : It’s complicated… I can set a big goal, but wouldn’t plan any steps on the way to achieve it. I guess it helps me to enjoy the journey. But then, some other times, I can break down the whole process of my new project, but wouldn’t know the end result of it…  Deadlines could be very stressful but I certainly can work under the pressure, no matter whose project it is.

Twist Online : Production, Singing, song writing what you love most?
Serge Bulat : Anything, before it gets too technical. The excitement of creating a new track is priceless and can’t be accurately described. I mix my own tracks and love doing it, but, can easily become picky and super surgical… can take all the time in the world to polish things… This is why I would never master my own tracks, because, at that point, I would become a mad professor…

Twist Online : What is your favorite music genre?
Serge Bulat : I don’t have one. The music I like and listen to all the time – is genre-less… or a blend of every style possible. How can I call Ryuichi Sakamoto an electronic artist if he sounds contemporary classical to half of my friends and colleagues? Or vice versa?  It doesn’t change the fact that he is insanely talented. And that is the best label ever.
Classical, world and electronic – are my core influences and I can’t be more specific that that.

Twist Online : What is the motivation behind your work?
Serge Bulat : The challenge. It is weird, but, the more things frighten me, the more I am attracted to them. Writing a completely instrumental album and making it appealing was a challenge.  I also had no idea I could write a waltz (well, my own take on it)…

Twist Online : Any project you are working on? When it will be released?
Serge Bulat : My debut record “Queuelbum” is out May 25th.
It’s a concept album that took me a while to complete …. It slowly developed into a hybrid project, where music was blended with all the other forms of art, and became something else. I was obsessed with Time and my own misconception of it, for the last couple of years, and, this particular project is a speculation on my own past and future, and all the possibilities around it.
I really believe that time is relative and all the things already happened.
The album breaks into two chapters; one represents – past, and the other one – future, both interact with each other melodically, from chords to rhythms and structures.
If you experienced that connection and contact with time while listening to the album, than, mission is accomplished.
I plan on premiering the next audio/visual piece “Third World River” right after the album drops and very excited about this: it connects the dots in the Queuelbum story.
Soon after, I might release an EP and new singles.

Twist Online : Are you on Social Media? Your fans would love to follow you.
Serge Bulat :  I am pretty active on Instagram and Facebook: both are under @sergebulat or Serge Bulat Music. New music would be available for streaming from Spotify, Soundcloud to Pandora.
You can also get the album on iTunes, Beatport and Amazon Prime.
Enjoy!