Andrey Pushkarev

Andrey Pushkarev came to techno from a small Russian town with little access to underground music. Born in 1981 in Votkinsk, a small town in Russia's Pre-Ural region, he started DJing at 15 with no musical education, and within a decade he was a Russian DJ recognized abroad, thanks to a free internet radio station and a vinyl collection that grew into the thousands.

From Votkinsk to Moscow

Pushkarev grew up in the years after the Soviet Union collapsed, with little access to underground dance music. He moved to Moscow in 2000, and while he played at night he worked by day for the Russian branch of the German distributor TraumBaum, where he spent three years overseeing the import of foreign vinyl and DJ equipment. The job fed his own habit: by the time of the biography RTS.FM quoted in 2014 he had assembled about 5,000 rare records, and his current bio puts the figure above 6,000.

DeepMix.ru and Kvadrat

In 2006 Pushkarev became a resident on DeepMix.ru, a non-commercial web radio station that broadcast techno without advertising to about 6,000 monthly listeners in 53 countries until the end of summer 2011. The sets he made for it carried his name well beyond Russia. His first booking abroad came in 2007 in France, followed by tours across Europe, South America and the United States.

In 2013 he became the central figure of "Kvadrat," a feature-length documentary directed by Anatoly Ivanov about the realities of techno DJing. Described in press listings as a hybrid of road movie and music video, it follows him from his Moscow apartment to club dates, without interviews or narration. Sources disagree on which countries it was filmed in, listing anywhere from two to five.

Luck of Access and Production

As a producer Pushkarev works mainly in ambient and dub. His releases and remixes have appeared on Circus Company, Endless, Lessizmore and Thule Records. In 2017 he founded Luck of Access, launching it with his own "Photograph" EP; XLR8R reported the release in September of that year, with an October date. The label's Bandcamp page describes it as a doorway to sound-based memories, and its releases typically pair one club-oriented track with several B-sides. Artists on the roster have included Ohm & Octal Industries, Havantepe and Nicolas Barnes. He is also credited with edits on a 2025 Berg Audio EP, and Amsterdam Dance Event lists him on the Berg Audio showcase for its 2026 edition.

Sound, Base and Bookings

In a fabric London profile ahead of his UK debut in Room One, his sets were described as pensive, blending deep minimalist techno and dubby house. His own bio describes a range from deep, organic, melodic techno to vibrant house, and says he has played in about 55 countries, with appearances on Boiler Room and Mixmag Lab. He has shared bills with Mihai Popoviciu, according to Resident Advisor event listings.

His base has moved over the years. Profiles have placed him in Moscow, later in Berlin, and more recently in Lisbon, where his label's Bandcamp page and his Mixcloud profile are now located, so older bios and newer ones do not agree.

Live at RTS.FM

RTS.FM has two Pushkarev sets from 2014, both tied to its work with Eastern European scenes. The first was recorded at Aktrecords in Budapest on December 23, 2014 and has been watched more than 30,000 times. The second marked the opening of RTS.FM's Bucharest studio on September 24, 2014; the video description frames the project as the Romanian and Russian electronic music scenes holding hands, with RTS.FM Moscow brought to Bucharest through Pushkarev's presence.

FAQ

Who is Andrey Pushkarev?

Andrey Pushkarev is a Russian DJ and producer born in 1981 in Votkinsk, a small town in the Pre-Ural region. He began DJing at 15, moved to Moscow in 2000 and is now associated with deep techno, ambient and dub.

What is DeepMix.ru?

DeepMix.ru was a non-commercial web radio station that broadcast techno without advertising to about 6,000 monthly listeners in 53 countries until the end of summer 2011. Pushkarev was a resident DJ there from 2006.

What is Luck of Access?

Luck of Access is the record label Andrey Pushkarev founded in 2017. It launched with his "Photograph" EP and typically releases one club-oriented track alongside several B-sides.

What is the film Kvadrat?

Kvadrat is a 2013 documentary directed by Anatoly Ivanov in which Pushkarev is the central figure. It explores the realities of techno DJing as a road movie without interviews or narration.

Has Andrey Pushkarev performed at RTS.FM?

Yes. RTS.FM recorded him at Aktrecords in Budapest on December 23, 2014, and at the opening of its Bucharest studio on September 24, 2014. Together the two sets have more than 48,000 views.