The Nightfly
The last few years have been challenging for Iamthemorning’s talented pianist Gleb Kolyadin, but his latest solo album has given him some respite. The Russian pianist and composer tells Prog about his new life in the UK, the inspiration behind Mobula and why making music has been his therapy.
Words: Polly Glass
Gleb Kolyadin feels the power of the music of the night.
“I just really love writing at night-time. You don’t feel pressure from outside. You’re completely isolated, you can do whatever you want. Every time it’s a very, like, perfect state of mind.”
Gleb Kolyadin plays piano mostly at night. Under the cover of darkness, in his flat in St Leonards-on-Sea, the displaced Russian enters a kind of fictional world, free from the anxieties of the day, the week, the last three years. His new album was composed like this, in this headspace guided subliminally by the melodies of Mike Oldfield, Brian Eno, Prokofiev, David Lynch, Wong Kar-wai and others across the progressive, classical and cinematic spheres he loves.
Speaking to Prog, Kolyadin is sweeter company than his elegant, alabaster press photos might suggest. He smiles easily. He apologises for his English and reaches intermittently for a small coffee pot on the table behind. Slightly embarrassed, he admits that he just woke up a couple of hours ago. It’s 3pm on a Thursday.
“All my life, night was a more natural time of day for me,” the 35-year-old says with a grin, his deep, gentle voice tempered by elfin features, long fingers and small eyes. “Even when I was a kid. I remember I was, like, 10 years old, and it was so difficult for me to wake up early to go to music school, despite the fact it was literally five minutes’ walk away,” he laughs a little bashfully, “I just really love writing at night-time. You don’t feel pressure from outside. You’re completely isolated, you can do whatever you want. Every time it’s a very, like, perfect state of mind.”