Fine Tuning by LTF

The text 'Hi-End Lo-Fi Beats' on the front cover feels like a pledge by the Russian beat wizard. As the faux ‘No. 4’ sticker on the sleeve implies, that’s the pursuit he's been on with a catalog worth of four records deep now. First, by setting the bar high for himself with his debut album Jazz Echo on Dday One's The Content Label. Then, by exceeding that bar as a beatmaking high-jumper with Monolith on Rucksack Records and the subsequent Cinematic Wax. And now, with his fourth album, Fine Tuning on Tunes Delivery.

The playful “At The Pier” dives straight in. It’s what Juno aptly described as “deep-cut funk sounds with cooling organ chords, hints of Money Mark vibes, and psyched-out synths.” But LTF truly shines when he flips and chops brass samples, working with Soviet records, rare jazz-funk, and unheard big-band gems. That's best showcased on songs like "Cool Steppin'" and his edit of Helmuth Brandenburg's "Love Like a Man," which were released together on a 45 record two years ago. Hearing LTF at work, he’s like a guru with brass samples—let's call it brassmatazz.

The original song by Helmuth Brandenburg is heavy big band jazz-funk, taken from the 1971 album Big-Beat-Band. LTF decided to create his own “modern-era sound system” version. That hits the core of his music: repurposing old sounds, travelling back in time—but equally looking ahead while doing so. His sample madness never sounds dated. That’s where the “hi-end” part of the front-cover promise comes in. Take “Sabbatical” with its Low End Theory-worthy bassline, a beat drenched in reverb, and echoes of the iconic sound of a modulating Jungle/DnB siren. LTF’s playful layering of otherworldly synth sounds and piano chords catapults the track into something completely fresh and original. While also flexing his beat-juggling skills halfway through the track, giving away his other life as a turntablist.

Fine Tuning lives up to its promise: there’s nothing but high-end beats on here. He’s continuously turning knobs, layering sounds, and tuning effects—with his fourth album, LTF turns dust into fairy dust.



Hip hop’s influence has permeated territories far removed from its Bronx origins, spawning creative and surprising fusions that strengthen the art form’s global reach. Case in point: Anton Ivanchenko, residing in the southwestern Siberian city of Omsk, has been obsessed with funk, hip-hop, and b-boy culture since the ‘90s.

Instagram
SoundCloud