Rudi Mikhail Zygadlo, named after two Russians dancers: Rudolph Nureyev and… Read Full Bio ↴Rudi Mikhail Zygadlo, named after two Russians dancers: Rudolph Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov, yet another of the Scottish-bred beat contingent, who have spent the last year and change convincing the seven Americans paying attention that Glasgow is far more than the sum of Belle & Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand, and cheap stereotypes involving Groundskeeper Willie and his retirement grease. Like Mike Slott, Hudson Mohawke, and Rustie, Zygadlo operates at the hazy intersection of hip-hop and dubstep, and despite the reductive simplifications they’ve engendered, like anything truly creative, their styles are singular.

Inspired by classical, church liturgies, opera, folk, Zappa, and early ’00s early hip-hop, Zygaldo’s music stands out from his peers for his eclecticism and deep devotion to song-craft, boasting well-constructed hooks, bridges, and breakdowns. Calling these “beats” does them a grave disservice, with their brain-frying synths, ruthless groove, and symphonic inclinations most closely resembling Guido and Nosaj Thing. Hearing Zygadlo on a Mary Anne Hobbs’ BBC1 mix for the first time, engendered a stop-whatever-it-is-that-you’re-doing epiphany, one that immediately made me want to know more about the man who will soon be eliciting a spate of bad “Rudi Can’t Fail” headlines. A Google search brought back little information other than mentioning that he used to play in an indie-rock group called The Velcro Quartet. Thus, this interview needed to happen. Zygaldo’s first full-length, Great Western Laymen, drops in April on Planet Mu.
All the music in the album Great Western Laymen was written, recorded and produced in his bedroom: "Its a banal setting but i guess it has become an atmospheric requisite for me to write, in the way that I do. My work desk faces the window which faces Great Western Road, referred to in the in album's title so there's an immediate connection there. From my window I can see two big churches which may also have helped me (immaculately) conceive the ecclesiastical themes inherent in the lyrics. But there were other reasons for that too."

Russian Dolls
Rudi Zygadlo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Though I've lost, when I found my way
To your solid soul, I forgot your name
All I've found, was a crackle tam
And the... on him

Through the eyes, you might find
Underneath it all
Another life, that reside, like a Russian doll

Through the eyes, you might find
Underneath it all
Another life, that reside, like a Russian doll

Seeking life inside the word and skins
A fin fast settle keep the water in
They much hard to find it... it
It is to keep it from the truth within

Through the eyes, you might find
Underneath it all
Another life, that reside, like a Russian doll
Through the eyes, you might find

Underneath it all
Another life, that reside, like a Russian doll x 4

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Rudi Zygadlo's "Russian Dolls" explore the idea of hidden layers within a person's identity, much like the nesting dolls that inspired the song's title. The singer speaks of losing themselves and finding their way to a "solid soul," but forgetting the person's name. This may suggest that the singer has discovered a deeper connection with this person beyond a surface-level understanding. The "crackle tam" mentioned could be a reference to the slight static or imperfections that can be heard on a vinyl record, which could symbolize the flaws and complexities within the person they have found.

The next verse references the idea of "seeking life inside the word and skins," perhaps pointing to the idea of seeking deeper meaning beyond superficial appearances. The mention of a "fin fast settle keep the water in" suggests the idea of containment or hiding something away. The line "it is to keep it from the truth within" implies that there is something hidden that is being protected or kept secret.

The chorus repeats the idea of discovering hidden layers within a person, using the metaphor of a Russian doll - a doll within a doll, within a doll. The repeated phrase "underneath it all" highlights the theme of delving deeper and discovering what lies beneath the surface.

Overall, the lyrics of "Russian Dolls" encourage listeners to look beyond appearances and search for what lies beneath, just like the nested dolls that inspired the song's title.

Line by Line Meaning

Though I've lost, when I found my way
Even though I was lost, I eventually found my way to you

To your solid soul, I forgot your name
When I finally found your strong and comforting presence, your name didn't matter anymore

All I've found, was a crackle tam
All that I discovered was a small sound, like the crackling of a fire

And the... on him
And the mysterious thing about him

Through the eyes, you might find
If you look closely

Underneath it all
Beneath the surface

Another life, that reside, like a Russian doll
You might discover another layer of existence, like a Russian doll within a Russian doll

Seeking life inside the word and skins
Searching for meaning within words and appearances

A fin fast settle keep the water in
A thin layer keeps everything stable and contained

They much hard to find it... it
It's very difficult to discover the truth within

It is to keep it from the truth within
The thin layer is there to prevent us from discovering the truth within ourselves