Perfect Stranger is the stage name of Yuli Fershtat, an Israeli musician, producer and DJ, born in 1970 in Moscow, Russia, moving to Israel at the age of 11.
Fershtat has previously released music under guise of 'BLT'. Perfect Stranger is known for his own distinctive sound, characterised by beats and patiently built compositions. His music often defies genres, bridging between progressive trance and techno with a presence of tribal and psychedelic elements. Fershtat released 8 albums, both as 'BLT' and as Perfect Stranger and a long list of 12”, EPs and compilation tracks and compiled few compilations. He is also the owner of the 'Digital Structures' label, which he bought in 2011, and since then has been releasing music by himself and others on it.
Contents
Music
Musical background and influences
Fershtat was surrounded by music since his birth coming from a family of classical pianists, and studied piano from the age of four. He stated as musical influences psychedelic progressive rock, such as King Crimson, Genesis (band), Jethro Tull (band) dipped in some hard rock, such as Led Zeppelin & Deep Purple and some Blues.
He also mentioned Jean Michel Jarre’s Oxygène as critical to his musical development and interest in electronic music. In 1992/93 he visited India and Goa and discovered Electronic Psychedelic music (which he hated till that time and greatly admired since). Another visit to Goa in 1994/95 solidified his interest in Goa Trance and Psychedelic Trance. During these years, Fershtat did not write music but was traveling the world and playing guitar, jamming with other musicians he met on the road.
Earl years - BLT
Fershtat started producing after his friends bought him a synthesizer for his 27th birthday. Intuitively he was drawn to produce psychedelic trance since he was very much involved with it at the time and felt close to the rhythms and the atmosphere that it produced, and believing that tribal music such as psychedelic trance is essential for people to unite. He chose the name BLT, which stood for a favourite sandwich of his, to show a lack of ego in music, and that the name itself and what it says are not the important thing, as a kind of antithesis to blasting names, which a lot of groups use, especially in the trance scene. The first BLT album Alchemic Anecdote was released on the Tel Aviv-based label 'Krembo Records' in 1999. His 2nd album, Presence was released on 'HOM-Mega Productions' in the following year. BLT 3rd album, God is Love, featured more down-tempo music, with groovy and more complex rhythms, and was released in 2002, also on 'HOM-Mega Productions'. During that time period Fershtat started working with Danni Makov - former drummer of Nikmat HaTraktor, an Israeli rock band, and one of the most important drummers in Israeli Rock. Together the two put on a live show, where the drummer play part of the set, that now felt more alive. Afterwards the duo extended their work and put out a 4th BLT album, Anything U Want on the label Tokyo Dance in 2004.
Perfect Stranger
In 2005 Fershtat decided to bring an end to the BLT project as he no longer citing lack of overseas bookings and his interest in Acupuncture and Chinese medicine as the main reasons. Then Michael Abel-Larsen, one of the owners of Iboga Records, suggested he produce music with slower BPM tempo. He chose the name Perfect Stranger because of a Goa track by that name by Sandman and the Deep Purple song of the same name.
The first Perfect Stranger album, Learning = Change was released in the Danish record label Iboga Records, in 2006, and a remixes/collaborations album named Changed was released the year after and featured some of the most important artists in the progressive trance world at the time, including Atmos, Vibrasphere, Ace Ventura and Antix, who remixed some of Perfect Stranger tracks, while he remixed some of theirs.
Free Cloud, the third Perfect Stranger's album, and Fershtat`s seventh album altogether, was released late in 2008, and is the album that brought him worldwide attention that crossed genres and scenes and is considered by many to be his best album yet. The inspiration for the album title was based on David Bowie`s song, as Fershtat claimed he " felt like that Wild Eyed Boy from Free Cloud, that David Bowie used to sing about 35 years ago". Free Cloud was characterized by monotone, "technoidic feel", and cross over between genres as Fershtat used the best parts in from the genres that inspired him, mostly techno.
Perfect Stranger’s fourth album, Leap of Faith came out in 2012, also on Iboga Records. The album consists of 3 CDs. The 1st containing new compositions including collaborations with Eat Static, Liquid Soul & Loud; the 2nd consists of new versions and live edits to already released tracks and the 3rd is a recording of a live set at the Indigo Festival, at the Sea of Galilee, Israel, in May 2012.
Throughout the years Perfect Stranger has performed live and as a DJ in many leading electronic music festivals worldwide. Thus, Perfect Stranger played Glade Festival UK in 2008 and 2009, Symbiosis Gathering in California at 2009, 2012, 2013. Perfect Stranger played most of Europe`s trance festivals including Boom Festival in Portugal where he played in every edition since 2010, Antaris Project in 2010 and 2012, Ozora Festival in 2012, and many more. Perfect stranger is also very popular in Australia, playing there at the Rainbow Serpent Festival in 2009, 2011 and 2015, as well as in Maitreya Festival in 2010 and 2014, Strawberry Fields Festival 2011 and 2012, Subsonic Festival in 2011 & 2013 and the Eclipse Festival in 2012. He also performed extensively in big festivals in Central and South America including Universo Paralello Festival in Brazil 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, as well as in festivals in South Africa, New Zealand, Canada and many more.
Discography - BLT
Albums
Alchemic Anecdote (1999), Krembo Records
Presence (2000), HOM-Mega Productions
God is Love (2002), HOM-Mega Productions
Anything U Want [w/ Danni Makov] (2004), Tokyo Dance
Singles & EPs
This Is Not / Gingischana / Pulp Fiction (1999), Krembo Records
Gravy For The Brain (2000), Balloonia Ltd.
God is Love (2002), Iboga Records
News (2004), Iboga Records
Patterns Of (Remixes) [w/ Danni Makov] (2008), Iboga Records
Appearances
Soul Sacrifice (1997), Various - The Forum
Lemon (1999), D.J Zoo-B - Psychedelic Krembo Selected Tunes Part 4
Beat Manifesto (2000), Various - UFS (Unidentified Forms Of Sound) Chapter # Two: Psychological Disorder
Clear Vision (2000), Various - IsrAliens 2, Bizzaro, Various - Psychedelic Trance 2001 Volume 1
Human Cube Factory (2000), Xerox - In My Brain
Clear of Vision (2001), Various - Virtual Trance Vol. 2
White Lotus [feat. Gidi Hovek Olam] (2001), Various - Rolling Synthochords
Rat In My Kitchen [w/ Future Prophecy] (B.L.T. Rmx) (2001), Various - Full On Volume 5
Bass Tah (2001), Various - IsrAliens 3: Conflict
Cruise Control (2002), Various - Goa Volume 2
Froggy Business (2002), Various - Ectoplasma
The Calling (2002), Various - U.F.S 3 - Unidentified Forms Of Sound
If You Call It, It Will Come [w/ Digital Manta] (2002), Various - Under Construction 2 - Re:Construct
Purple Lotus [feat. Gidi Hovek Olam] (2002), Gidi Hovek Olam - New Frontiers
BLT (2002),Various - Generations
Screwdriver (2002), Various - Amalgamated Amalgamation
Discography - Perfect Stranger
Albums
Learning = Change (2006), Iboga Records
Changed (2007), Iboga Records
Free Cloud (2008), Iboga Records
Leap of Faith (2012), Iboga Records
Eleven (2018), Iboga Records
Broadcasting & Receiving (2023), Iboga Records
Compilations
Set/4 - Essentials by Yuli Fershtat (2005), Iboga Records
Hibernation by Yuli Fershtat (2006), Iboga Records
Singles & EPs
Ode Ao Sol Remixes (2008), Beef Records
Clear Vision 07' EP (2008), Iboga Records
Stardust EP (2009), Iboga Records
Forty Two (2010), Digital Structures
Engines On (2010), Digital Structures
Clear Vision 07-Remixes (2010), Echoes Records
Lizard (2010), Echoes Records
Prata Da Casa EP (2010), Flow Vinyl
The Bite (2011), Digital Structures
Slope (2011), Digital Structures
OUCH! (2011), Digital Structures
Koltun Remixes (2012), Digital Structures
Twist In Hell (2012), Iboga Records
Leap Of Faith EP (2013), Iboga Records
Sad Paradise Remixing Perfect Stranger (2013), Iboga Records
Pick N' Roll (2013), Digital Structures
Perfect Stranger Remixes (2013), Iboga Records
Slope 2014 (2014), Digital Structures
Perfect Stranger Remixes (2014), Iboga Records
Been There Done That (2014), Digital Structures
Appearances
It’s All About (2005), Tony Comanti - Grand Avenue
What's The Lineup (2005), Banel & Emok - Set/5 - Summer Collection
Nobody's Perfect (2005), Yuli Fershtat - Set/4 - Essentials
Diamond In The Rough [w/ Behind Blue Eyes] (2006), Various - Goa 2006 Vol. 4
Truth [w/ Emok] (2006), DJ Bim - Goa 2006 Vol.5
Starter (2006), Various - Digital Age
Consequences (2006), Various - Tantra Trance Vol. 2 & Various - Progressive Movement & Various - Progressive Beats
Perfect Ace [w/ Ace Ventura] (2006), Various - Think Different & Various - Goa Love Vol. 1
Breeze (2006), Various - :In:Deep:An:Dance: 2006 & Various - Goabeats
Diamond In The Rough [w/ Behind Blue Eyes] (Perfect Stranger Edit) (2006), Various - Daily Basis
Diamond In The Rough [w/ Behind Blue Eyes] (BBE Mix) (2006), Emok & Banel - Dawn Summer Collection Vol. 2
Bliss (2006), Various - Goa Girl Volume 3 & Yuli Fershtat - Hibernation
Eyes Wide Open [w/ Sunseek] (2007), Various - Progressive Goa Trance Volume 6 & Vedant & Odiseo - Switch
Perfect Ace [w/ Ace Ventura] (Atmos Remix) (2007), Emok & Banel - Progressive Goa Trance Volume 5 & Various - Diamonds
Remixes
BLT & Morax - Implant (Perfect Stranger Remix) (2005), Globalize (Flow Records)
Ace Ventura – R.I.S.E (Perfect Stranger Remix) (2006), Nuance (Iboga Records)
Zen Mechanics – Ground Control (Perfect Stranger Remix) (2007), Uncharted (Flow Records)
Vibrasphere – Sweet September (Perfect Stranger Remix) (2007), Archipelago Remixed (Digital Structures)
Behind Blue Eyes – The Epitome (Perfect Stranger Remix) (2007), Copenhagen (Iboga Records)
Maelstrom – Chapster (Perfect Stranger Remix) (2007), The Bomb (Iboga Records)
Atmos – KNS (Perfect Stranger Remix) (2007), Progressive Goa Trance Vol. 6 (Yellow Sunshine Explosion)
Ace Ventura – R.I.S.E (Perfect Stranger Remix) (2007), Psypod Volume 1 (Yellow Sunshine Explosion)
BLT – Six Feet Under (Perfect Stranger Remix) (2007), Global Goa Trance Network (Yellow Sunshine Explosion)
Morax – Out Of The Blue (Perfect Stranger Remix) (2008), Bakkelit 2.1 (Spiral Trax)
Morax – Out Of The Blue (Perfect Stranger Remix) (2008), Goa Beach Volume 9 (Yellow Sunshine Explosion)
LOUD – Subynia (Perfect Stranger Remix) (2008), Chacruna (Echoes Records)
Liquid Ace – Psychic Experience (Perfect Stranger Remix) (2008), Re:Boot (Iboga Records)
Festivals
Glade Festival in UK 2008 and in 2009
Symbiosis Gathering in California at 2009, 2012 and 2013
Antaris Project in Germany 2010 and 2012
Ozora Festival in Hungary 2012
Boom Festival in Portugal where he played in every edition since 2010
Rainbow Serpent Festival in Australia 2009, 2011 and 2015
Maitreya Festival in Victoria, Australia 2010 and 2014
Strawberry Fields Festival in Victoria, Australia 2011 and 2012
Subsonic Festival in NSW, Australia 2011 and 2013
Eclipse Festival in Queensland, Australia 2012
Sunburn Festival in Goa, India 2011
Universo Paralello Festival in Brazil 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013
Time & Space Festival in Mexico 2012 alongside electronic musician and producer Ellen Allien
Luminate Festival in New Zealand 2011 and 2015