Emigration
Today we invite you to read a conversation about gourmet habits with a member of the Belarusian indie scene in exile — Marazm Arkadia. He is famous for his sincere love of coffee and coffee-based drinks. From this talk, you will learn how Raman (Marazm Arkadia) came to this passion, how it influences his creativity, and what he thinks about coffee consumption culture.
On Coffee and the Path
— The history of coffee spans millennia; even ancient texts mention the ritual consumption of the drink. But what was your path into the world of coffee?
— In my adolescence, I spent every summer in the village with my grandmother. There were a couple of peers in the village who were experienced in finding entertainment, so we would buy two-liter bottles of coffee and make sausage BBQs by the river… I recall those times with a nostalgic tear.
— Do you think a passion for coffee is, for most people, a way to remember something or, conversely, to forget?
— We are all human, we are all shy, we are all pressed by numerous life difficulties, and in the moment, coffee can help. It helps me. But I perceive it like windshield wipers on a car—they are needed in the moment, but they shouldn’t be turned on constantly; that’s foolishness.
— How long have you been professionally interested in coffee culture?
— More than 10 years. It sounds scary; I should probably quit, but when I tried, I couldn’t do it.
— Excessive coffee consumption can lead to shaky hands and headaches. What “life hack” would you suggest to those facing this ailment?
— To be honest, I haven’t noticed any life hacks. The more you drink, the worse it will be. You need to exercise and eat well so your body stays in tone and is able to withstand the load every weekend.
Creativity and Coffee
— What is the most cynical thing about your “creative process” in Warsaw? Do you ever drink coffee just for the sake of the “image” and end up with decaf, or is caffeine always priority number one?
— I am a kind person; cynicism is not in my nature. Actually, there were moments when I felt lost and followed the wake of my own image. I consumed excessively, but with such pleasure. I have a certain level of self-awareness to realize when I’m playing a part too much. Regarding decaf, I liked a few examples, but overall, it’s a completely non-working sublimation for me.
— Show us your desk or kitchen shelf: how many cans of coffee do you have, or are you like everyone else, getting by with one portion in the morning for a better day?
— How many cups of coffee do you prefer to drink before sitting down to work on a new track or text?
— There are no rules. I don’t link writing tracks with coffee rituals. Yes, sometimes after drinking coffee, I feel like sitting down and writing a track, and that has happened to me—the track “Sigateru,” for example. But we all understand that tracks are finished with a clear mind and firm intent. Hunting for stories for tracks is one thing; writing tracks is another.
— What kind of coffee should it be to focus on creativity—pure, mixed, whipped, with juice or cola, or maybe with an olive?
— Coffee actually hinders focusing. Sometimes it gives a vibe when you want to do something funny, and in that flow, you can almost finish a whole track. But it’s not a rule; sometimes it catches you, sometimes it doesn’t. More often, it remains a loop that gets lost on a hard drive and never gets used. So it depends entirely on the individual and their inclinations.
— How do you deal with the fact that your audience might be into green tea or pu-erh as their “dope,” yet they still “like” posts about coffee?
— Completely calmly. I live my life and tell stories about it in my tracks. I have no requirements for other people. We gather for the “rofls” (laughs).
On Coffee Culture
— Is there a “culture” of coffee consumption for you—cafes, guru-baristas, special glassware, only one cup a day? How important is this for someone who truly loves coffee?
— My style probably falls more under the definition of “anti-culture.” Sometimes I like sipping coffee on the go: in the park, on the bus. There are a couple of places I visit regularly, but even there, I value the opportunity to stand outside and smoke at the same time. Coffee and cigarettes—a classic duo. I don’t understand coffee varieties and just get something ordinary and preferably cheap. I like the effect of consumption, and the taste of the drink is a parameter on which I am open to compromise.
— Have you met people in cafes who come for the atmosphere rather than the drink? What do you think of that?
— Yes, absolutely. The element of socialization and a change of scenery is part of a healthy passion for coffee, but it seems to me that for those people, I am the one spoiling the atmosphere.
— Do you believe that to be a “real” coffee lover in 2025, one must understand varieties and production, know the best producers, or is it enough to grow coffee yourself and brew it yourself?
— No, that’s just a separate hobby. There are people who like playing the guitar, and there are those who like to fix, modify, and collect them. These are not necessarily interconnected passions.
— What do you find more tiring: the myths surrounding the love for coffee and the cult created by mass culture, including technical issues related to the monopoly on coffee production?
— I don’t know what to say here, eshkere.
— And the last question. Do you think it’s possible to just love coffee and have no one interfere with that love for the drink?
— It’s a very complex topic. Nowadays, everyone has “their” opinion, and it is, of course, the only correct one. Naturally, some snob will suffocate you with the idea that coffee drinkers are stupid, that coffee is harmful, that it should be banned, and so on. This will, of course, interfere with the love for coffee. And what can you do with them? Let them grumble like old men about how everything is bad and everyone is bad while they are good. That is their path, not mine. On the other hand, there are coffee lovers for whom it is their only hobby. They aren’t always pleasant people, and I, as a coffee lover, encounter them. They can lightheartedly cheer you up, or they can ruin your mood. But you can’t do anything about them either. They are a product of their time. We don’t live in a utopia, and life bends people into sad shapes. As a result, you simply cannot live in a way where no one ever interferes with anyone else.