The debut release by Belarusian trio
Molchat Doma
is a gloomy set of minimalist, drum machine-driven post-punk filled with propulsive bass lines, airy guitars, and the distinctive, shadowy vocals of frontman
Egor Shkutko
. The lyrics, sung entirely in Russian, match the grim, dystopian, and sometimes misanthropic tone of the music -- "Ludi Nadoeli" expresses disgust with society, finding it easier to avoid people entirely rather than just ignore the irritating ones. Other tracks are more political in nature, with standout "Mashina Rabotaet" describing society as being enslaved by the capitalist machine, while "Ya Ne Kommunist" details the bleakness of life in a post-communist state. Still, "Pryatki" seems to reflect an effort to connect with another human being, even if it takes a lot of effort to overcome social anxiety. "Tishina" fades in with a calm ambient synth intro, and describes dying alone and living in eternal, undisturbed peace. Most of the songs are concise, well-constructed, and catchy, and the best ones have inventive beat programming or glimmering synths, such as the aforementioned "Mashina Rabotaet" and the slower, more synthwave-y "Technologia."
's subsequent releases would be a sonic upgrade from the cloudy fidelity of their debut, but their raw energy was intact right from the beginning. ~ Paul Simpson