All eyes on Ilya – the Minsk-born, but London-based multidisciplinary artist and a part of DERSCHEIN platform and label. Working across sound art, photography, painting and video, he first drew our attention thanks to his music – both a medium and a question, as he underlines – but later we dove deep into other forms of his artistic expression. And it’s not trivial at all – eclectic, detailed and sophisticated, Ilya’s productions got the acclaim of artists such as Grace Dahl, Stanislav Tolkachev, SPFDJ, Nene H, Anastasia Kristensen or u.r.trax.
And thanks to the sense of intuitive exploration of creativity, he had the opportunity to show his talent at HÖR, Rinse FM, Kindred Radio or Kiosk Radio, as well as premieres on BCCO, Mixmag, Vault Sessions or The Quietus. Please give a warm applause to one of techno’s brightest rising stars, Ilya Gurin-Babayeu!
My very first impression of Ilya’s sets, mixes and productions? So smooth and so sophisticated at the same time, and that feeling stayed with me for a long time. And once something catches my attention, I lose myself in it for hours on end; I want to discover and listen to as much as possible, and I put my sense of hearing into overdrive. In this case, it was no different. Ilya’s work came along at exactly the moment when I really needed to listen to electronic music ‘differently’, not to be guided solely by those familiar criteria for reviewing music. I also found it difficult to find the exact words I was trying to use to describe what I really needed and expected from the sound of electronic music – as if I didn’t know myself what I really meant. And along with the music… the words came to me of their own accord.
My practice can be described as diving into the zone of elusive meanings,
explains the 25-years old Ilya.
I move fluidly through a wide range of locked groove techno, left-field bass and breakbeat, but often easily shift towards ambient structures, and rhythm-based sound collages with dub motives. And I treat the club as a reflective, almost dreamlike environment where sound becomes a form of thinking.
There is much more to these words than just a kernel of truth; something that feels familiar yet ungraspable. I heard something that not only sounds modern, fresh and intriguing, but also makes me stay on the dance floor a little longer. I felt encouraged to delve deeper into the layers of sounds; to explore not only the more club-oriented side of Ilya’s work, but also to check out the music which draws inspiration from ambient, hip-hop, IDM, footwork, breakbeat, dub or old video games. The sound is rich, yet with an extraordinary sense of aesthetics and taste – the proportions are spot on, and what makes the biggest impression is the rhythm, musicality and unique atmosphere of each track. And perhaps that is precisely why his music is such a pleasure to listen to? For although a whole diverse universe resonates within it, it has been shaped in a tasteful, intriguing and elegant form.
Young DJs and producers (especially the Gen Z) are often said to lack refined taste, to have a chaotic and overly eclectic set selection, and to lack a basic understanding of the history of club music. Ilya’s work and artistic output certainly defy this perception. Despite his young age, Ilya displays above-average maturity, a keen sense of style, an open mind and, in my opinion, possesses the two most important qualities for a DJ and producer. These are: openness (and active listening to) to many genres of music, not just electronic music itself, and the ability to select and consistently focus on those he feels most strongly about. What’s more, Ilya’s wide range of musical inspirations is complemented by other art forms, which he engages with as a multidisciplinary artist. Photography, painting and video round out his artistic portfolio – he has numerous London exhibitions in the form of pop-ups or multimedia installations, including “4ABC” (2024), “Self-portrait Rooms” and “X22” (both from 2023) – and when combined with sound, the image of a very young, but yet highly self-aware artist appears. The richness of all these forms of expression means that his focus on the future is not merely a way of thinking, but above all a way of acting. Thinking and moving forward.
Ilya’s musical output comprises two albums – “embryos XLP” (2020, self-released) and “AZ shadow” (2021, Derschein) – and five EPs: “One Second Ahead” (2022), “GAME-O” (2024), “QEYS” (2025), “b-CY” (2025) and “2S” (2026). In truth, each of these can be discussed both as individual releases and within the context of the artist’s entire body of work – the diversity of style, genres, techniques and inspirations definitely crosses boundaries and deserves attention. Ilya’s productions have been recognised by artists such as: Akua, Anastasia Kristensen, Grace Dahl, NIKS, MarcelDune, Nene H, Oblig, Stanislav Tolkachev, SPFDJ, u.r.trax, Word Of Command and many others.
The strongest, most experimental and raw-sounding release is, without a doubt, the album “AZ shadow” – an attempt to comprehend the nature of chaos and a reflection of a completely unfamiliar feeling of homeland. On the EPs, the distinctive 4×4 beat is complemented by a rhythmic groove; there is no shortage of surprising moments, blurred vocals or samples woven in so subtly that listening is a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Believe it or not, choosing a favourite from Ilya’s discography is by no means an easy task – because every release has made an impression on me, has a very distinctive form and reveals something I haven’t heard before (and didn’t even expect to hear).
And that is precisely what is so fascinating: ”b-CY” is a reflection on life’s rhythms and cycles through the repetitive nature of techno, while “QEYS” pulls from the golden era of techno and hip-hop — dusty acapellas, chopped breaks, and crate-dug textures. “GAME-O” is an introspection that represents the artist’s reflections on re-imagining himself in a new place – the bridge between teenage years spent in Minsk and the immersive influence of two years in London. “One Second Ahead” shows the combination of raw, futuristic sounds with hypnotic grooves, almost magical and strongly outer-space. But I strongly believe that My Personal No. 1 would be Ilya’s latest EP, “2S” – as the drums always have the tendency to move more the dancing crowd, I’m more than sure that these 4 tracks will find their perfect place. Both on the dancefloor and in the clubbers’ hearts.
The refinement, attention put to every detail of the production and the multidimensionality of the sounds are evident on both the EPs and the albums. On the one hand, you can find a distinct rhythm, interesting combinations and build-ups, and energy that’s truly made for the dancefloor; on the other, you can immerse yourself in a dreamy, ephemeral and elusive world. This particular moment will never happen again – but those who can spot it, marvel at it and capture it, gain so much in life.
Undoubtedly, Ilya’s performances, mixes and podcasts confirm it all. Thanks to his consistency, coherence, work on the sound and constant broadening of his horizons, he has appeared in Berlin’s HÖR, and has recorded mixes and podcasts for KIOSK Radio or Rinse FM. Over the past two years, he had the pleasure of performing at clubs such as London’s Corsica Studios, Gaffe, Lost and M.O.T., Warsaw’s Jasna 1 and the Kite Club in Ankara. He played and shared the dancefloor space with artists like Bailey Ibbs, Buttechno, Commodo, Perc and many others.
When discussing Ilya’s work, I cannot omit DERSCHEIN (“radiance”) – a techno platform, label and home to Belarusian ravers, which was established in 2015 and became the most popular party series in Minsk. The collective underlines a lot of its core values: the sense of community, mutual respect, freedom, self-expression and a deep love for music. DERSCHEIN has hosted several parties in Warsaw, inviting headlining artists such as Perc, Lucinee, Schwefelgelb, Phara, Emil Zenko and Neux, whilst also highlighting the presence of Belarusian artists in the line-ups: Raketka, Budzko, Šuma, Dima Kachan, Syrphin and dosaaf.
And speaking of label activity, DERSCHEIN releases and promotes artists such as Budzko and Ilya himself. The platform’s SoundCloud channel also focuses on supporting electronic music artists from Belarus, for example through the “Terrorcast” and “New Tribe” podcast series. Local support is not just a slogan; it has a real influence on electronic music and helps artists showcase their music and roots to a wider audience. And the community built around it makes every event a unique, intimate and well-curated experience, featuring the finest selection of electronic music and its diverse range of genres.
Follow & support Ilya Gurin-Babayeu here:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/thegurinbabayeu/