Hard Rock Sofa’s behemoth single ‘Rasputin’ turns 5 years old

Let’s roll the clocks back to 2013; Avicii was in his prime, Calvin Harris was a pop music icon, and our newly reborn heroes Swedish House Mafia were mid-way through their “One Last Tour”. 5 years ago, Russian dance music duo, Hard Rock Sofa were tearing it up as their tracks were consistently getting airplay, appearing on radio shows, and absolutely smashing it at festivals and clubs. Arguably their most notable production, ‘Rasputin‘ released on Axtone Records, was and still is a jaw-dropper. The group consisted of Alexander Shapovalov and Denis Chepikov, who went on to pursue their individual careers later down the road, however, let’s just relish in the pristine vibes of ‘Rasputin’ for now.

Hard Rock Sofa, the first thing to pop in your head might be ‘Here We Go‘, which was a mainstay in the sets of many DJ’s and producers throughout the scene. The track ‘Arms Around Me‘ might also ring a bell. Albeit, shining brightly above most of the group’s discography, ‘Rasputin’ is a true Progressive House banger bred for one single purpose – to rock the living daylights out of a crowd caught under its spell. A fitting combination, the ‘Sunrise (Won’t Get Lost)‘ acapella was commonly placed during the mystical break of the track, exponentially adding to the rapturous aura and attitude of the record.

Hard Rock Sofa have a unique production talent which at their core, lies the ability to craft sonically powerful music and the first drop of ‘Rasputin’ is a true testament to this. For those who might be uncertain, in layman’s terms that means their music hits hard, deep down into the soul hard. Their nifty bass work allows them to hone in on the musical senses and let ‘Rasputin’ go to work on our minds, twisting and bending the very fabric of our attention. The percussive bass groove is simple, yet immensely brawny, delivering well-articulated stabs when needed.

In 2013, Axtone Records established themselves as world-leaders in top-notch Progressive House music. With an incredibly talented roster in their lineup, they were a label that garnered respect and composure through pushing the boundaries of musical intuition. So dive into ‘Rasputin’ courtesy of Russian duo Hard Rock Sofa. A true gem, it epitomized the sound of Big Room & Progressive House at the time. The Swedish House Mafia relied on its mighty force to catapult their live sets to the next level. With Shapov still a household name on Axtone Records, we can still find this rare musical magic in 2018.

Let’s get twisted to the flare of “Rasputin” below!