Slovetskiy Essentials

At the heart of what makes Valentin Aleksandrovich Presnov—aka Slovetskiy—one of Russian hip-hop’s most consistently thrilling propositions is a fascinating contradiction. His tracks are thick with atmosphere, with clattering trap beats and moody synths combining in such a way that his sound drips with captivating menace. But his delivery is all cold command as he reels off tales of street life with a frosty flow. His work—both solo and as part of Constanta—is informed by his time spent in New York as a teenager, and has evolved via his extensive collabs with DJ Nik One.