AIGEL Releases New Tatar Album ‘Killer Qız’

The electronic duo AIGEL reveals the release of their sixth studio album, ‘Killer Qız’, marking a key milestone in their creative journey. The album’s focus track will be ‘Barsı Da Bezdä’. This is the second album by the group recorded entirely in Tatar, exploring themes of loss and rediscovery, death and rebirth, the complexity of human nature, and trust in faith. At the heart of ‘Killer Qız’ is a bold narrative: a DJ killer dances until the death of a high-ranking official, then escapes the country with her boyfriend. Figures from Russian society—ranging from “couch troops” to “Rospotrebnadzor employees”—watch their departure, while the “major, the doorman, and the war correspondent” desperately try to cling to the wing of their departing plane. But, as the lyrics declare, “no matter what they do, no one will take them along.” With the speed increasing, the pilot at the controls “plays hardcore.” Despite the audacious and vibrant energy of some tracks, the album remains deeply personal and introspective. One particularly haunting moment comes in a track where vocalist Aigel Gaisina’s voice is absent; instead, a child’s voice slowly transitions from speaking Tatar to German in real time, capturing the poignant experience of linguistic assimilation. The album concludes with Aigel herself reciting in German, reflecting on the meaning of home—whether it is where one is born or where one is laid to rest. A surprise addition to the album is a dance track in English, originally written for a short film by renowned clown Vyacheslav Polunin. This nearly wordless song carries the refrain that “life is a comedy,” offering a moment of lightness amidst the album’s weighty themes. “Since February 2022, we faced a long creative pause—nothing was written, and all words seemed to lose their meaning,” says Aigel. “For three years, we slowly finished pre-war demos and pieced ourselves back together. Emigration intensified the metaphor of searching for new words. Now, Ilya and I live in different countries—Berlin, with its harsh, stylish, and free atmosphere, and rural Montenegro, with its sunny and gentle calm. This contrast has seeped into our music. After a long stagnation, the first language that emerged for me was Tatar—it was like a system reset, returning to my default language.” One of the last-minute additions to the album, ‘Assimilation’, is a near-documentary-style track in which children gradually shift from resisting emigration to fully integrating into a new culture, replacing their native Tatar words with German. The track opens with sounds from the Berlin subway, and only after completion did Aigel realize that the announcer’s voice declares, “the train is heading towards Ruhleben”—a district in Berlin that translates to “peaceful life.” This unintended coincidence perfectly encapsulates the song’s theme. Ilya Baramiya shares his perspective on the album’s production: “I liked how Baauer described his album Planet’s Mad—drawing from ’90s dance music, inspired by Fatboy Slim, Daft Punk, and The Chemical Brothers. These artists didn’t stick to strict genres but focused on creating a unique atmosphere. We’ve taken a similar approach here, incorporating a broader range of influences—from K-pop to hard bass. There’s almost no hip-hop in this album.” AIGEL, the duo of Tatar poetess and vocalist Aigel Gaisina and St. Petersburg electronic musician Ilya Baramiya, is known for their sharp lyrics and innovative sound in Russian, Tatar, and English. Their hit song Tatarin has amassed over 140 million views on YouTube, while their track You Born won a Silver Lion at the Cannes Lions festival. In 2023, their Tatar-language song Pıyala made history by topping the charts in over 10 countries and reaching the Billboard TikTok chart. Since 2022, AIGEL has openly spoken against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Their performances in Russia were banned, leading them to leave the country—Aigel now resides in Berlin, while Ilya lives in Montenegro. To celebrate the release of ‘Killer Qız’, AIGEL will embark on a concert tour. Tour dates and ticket information can be found on their official website: aigel.band.