Second Russian-language album of the Moscow avant-garde outfit GSH (earlier known as Glintshake) bring the highest level of expression, where post-punk, jazz, psychedelic rock and garage rock find harmony and burst into strange avant-garde cocktail. Even before “Pol’za” (“Benefit”), the band has won popularity around Europe and appeared with a live set on KEXP in Iceland.
♪♫ Listen: “Польза” + album stream
GSH on Instagram, Facebook, Soundcloud, Bandcamp.
Istochnik (источник) is a young Moscow-based trio. “Tak ya v detstve vse i predstavlyal” (так я в детстве все и представлял), which can be translated as “That’s How I Imagined It When I Was Young”, is their introspective vision of life expressed in the Midwest-emo and punk sauce.
♪♫ Listen: “ответ” + album stream
Istochnik on Instagram, Soundcloud.
Delphin (Dolphin) is one of the most iconic lyricists and spoken-word acts in Russia. Last year, he came back with an angry and dramatic new album that includes the most raging riffs, rythms and rhymes on board. It’s one of the strongest efforts from Delphin since the early 2000s.
♪♫ Listen: “520” + album stream
This is the debut album from Moscow-based, weird psychedelic avant-garde pop quartet Sozvezdie Otrezok (Созвездие Отрезок), which can be translated as Сonstellation Section. “Prihod” (“Recede”) is full of strange lyrics about lost 100 rubles, mites on shoulders that don’t deserve to die, fear of vomit and hospitality.
♪♫ Listen: “Семирамида” + album stream
Fresh and groovy vibes of retro-house, funk and disco. “Krasivo” (“Beautiful”) is something new and unknown in the Russian indie scene. This chic and stylish electronic trio tempts us to keep falling in love and dancing through the nights.
♪♫ Listen: “Потанцуй со мной” + album stream
Last year, the art-pop trio Oqjav released their first album with a new line-up. “Listiki-Cvetochki” (Листики-цветочки), which means “Leaves-Flowers”, includes vibrant, sharp and vulnerable love songs with dramatic piano and electropop rythms.
♪♫ Listen: “Листики” + album stream
Oqjav on Instagram, Facebook, Soundcloud, www.
There were the days when Краснознаменная дивизия имени моей бабушки was called Russian Arcade Fire. But they’ve always been something original and unique, and their fourth album is their best work to date. Some kind of sad indie orchestra with a hopeless view of adult’s life, instead of dreamy vibes of earlier efforts. “Uvi” (“Oops”) captures the band growing up and facing some new experiences.
♪♫ Listen: “Последнее лето детства” + album stream
Ic3peak’s new album is a Russian “Fairytale” (English for “Skazka”) with social subtext.
It is one of the laudest protest albums in Russia/against Russian government in the recent years, from an electronic duo addicted to witch house.
♪♫ Listen: “Смерти Больше Нет” + album stream
Ic3peak on Instagram, Facebook, Soundcloud.
“Raskraski Dlya Vzroslykh” (Раскраски для взрослых), which means “Coloring For Adults”, is one of the biggest recent debuts in Russia.
Ironic portrait of modern Russia youth with catchy lyrics and 90-pop production from 18-years-old Liza (Elizaveta Gyrdymova), who started her music career a few years ago with self-proclaimed psychedelic cloud rap. Same ironic lyrics about memes and troubles of russian youth.
♪♫ Listen: “Нет монет” + album stream
Affinazh (Affinage) are an acoustic noir folk band from Saint Petersburg with unique blend of folk melodies, post-hardcore vocals and poetic lyricism. “Zoloto” (Gold) is their 5th full-length album, separated in three parts.
The first part “Ty, Kotoriy Nashel” (You, Who Found) was released in March 2018, the next one “Komnata Zabytykh Veshey” (Room of Forgotten Objects) dropped in May, and the final one “Zoloto” in November.
It has become a long and longing road on the way to self-determination and self-peace.
♪♫ Listen: “Лучше Всех” + album stream