Neuromonakh Feofan

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Neuromonakh Feofan is a music project from Saint Petersburg, Russia. They mix drum and bass with Russian folk music, and their live shows borrow from traditional Russian festivals. Performers wear bast shoes, kosovorotkas, and sarafans, and one member even dresses as a bear. Their songs use Church Slavonic and old Russian words, and they play balalaika over electronic beats. The group’s main members are the songwriter and performer Neuromonakh Feofan, DJ Nikodim, and the Bear. They perform with their faces hidden or covered on stage, keeping their identities anonymous.

In 2018, Feofan revealed his real name is Oleg Stepanov. Nikodim has described his background as formally studying music before meeting Feofan.

The project began in 2009. Feofan and Nikodim came up with the idea during forest walks. Their first album, Drum in the Soul, Bright Rus' in the Heart, was released in early 2015. They toured Russia and Belarus to promote it, and the album was well received, reaching the top 10 on Russian iTunes.

Neuromonakh Feofan has performed at Russian festivals such as Kubana, Nashestvie, Dikaya Myata, and VK Fest. They were named Russian Independent Performer of the Year in Yandex Music’s 2015 year-end list, based on streaming data.

Critics note the unusual mix of Russian folk with electronic dance music, comparing the project to legendary Russian performers. Sergey Shnurov described Neuromonakh Feofan as “a combination of the incompatible,” noting their bold online presence.

The Calvert Journal also highlights Neuromonakh Feofan as part of a 2010s trend of blending Western electronic sounds with Russian Orthodox and folk traditions.