Molchat Doma’s rise in popularity has been interesting to follow, and as with most viral success it seemed to happen overnight. The Belarus post punk/synthpop group originally made a name for themselves with lo-fi and mysterious sounding albums, often coming through like you were hearing a dubbed over tape that had been smuggled across borders. This first brought them success among the post punk and goth music scenes, but without warning music from their 2018 full length Этажи (Etazhi) began appearing as the background of different TikTok videos and they gained considerable popularity. With this additional traction, Molchat Doma signed to Sacred Bones Records and released Монумент (Monument) in 2020 which expanded their sound while retaining that lo-fi aesthetic. Like others in the region, the geopolitical situation in Russia and the surrounding region impacted the band in recent years, and they would choose to relocate to Los Angeles while working on what would become their fourth album. Belaya Polosa showcases this series of life changes not only in an even broader musical palette but also polished and big production values. It’s a significant shift, but Molchat Doma’s continued strengths on the songwriting front makes it work to their advantage.
Right from the opening seconds of “Ty Zhe Ne Znaesh Kto Ya” it becomes clear that you’re in for a very different sound compared to the rest of Molchat Doma’s discography, at least from a clarity and atmosphere perspective. You’re first met with layers of sound that build up to booming drum lines and synthwork that have more of a Kraftwerk or Devo feel to them before the sound transitions over to more somber melodies. These types of dynamic transitions and variety to the songwriting had emerged on Monument, but with the fuller sound and additional studio polish the details stand out more than before. The tone isn’t quite as cold and mysterious as before, but you instead get a full range of atmosphere that explores somber and introspective elements alongside brighter flourishes. Sometimes this comes in the form of tracks like “Kolesom” and “Beznadezhnyy Waltz” which invoke the same somber and cold tones as the band’s earlier discography, but songs like “Chernye Tsvety” and “Zimnyaya” are much airier and have a hopeful feel. It feels like after three full lengths of exploring similar textures and a bit of uniformity, Molchat Doma has strived to break free of these patterns and do something a bit different from one song to the next while keeping a central hook to each one that draws listeners in. There’s a lot of different influences at work, and whether they continue to lean into Depeche Mode and New Order or head into other gothic rock, post punk, and electronic aspects the end result avoids re-treading one band’s style and comes off as fresh. One particular fun note for me is the opening of the title track has electronics that are very Stabbing Westward like, though this was probably unintentional on the band’s part. But no matter whether they’re drawing you in with dark and smokey atmosphere, soaring synthpop melodies, or anything in between, Belaya Polosa is consistently engaging from beginning to end in a way that puts Molchat Doma’s best foot forward.
When it comes to vocals, Molchat Doma has had a trajectory similar to fellow Eastern Europeans Ploho. Both bands had singers with lower ranges that bore resemblance to Joy Division’s Ian Curtis, and a more repetitive and monotone cadence that sometimes blurred into the background. But over time they’ve explored more dynamic performances and let their voices soar to the front of the material and like Ploho’s Viktor Uzhakov, Egor Shkutko has really reached new heights. The way his voice towers over the recording on “Ty Zhe Ne Znaesh Kto Ya” pulls you in immediately, but there’s still a bit of mystery to the performance. Shkutko shakes things up from one song to the next, as sometimes there’s a deeper, introspective tone to his singing or even sorrowful higher pitches on songs like “Son”. My personal favorite over repeat listens is “Chernye Tsvety”, as there’s a sense of beauty and playfulness to the performance on this song that is stunning. “III” also goes full-on 80s synthpop with backing vocals from Maria Metelskaya, and the interplay between her airier singing and Shkutko’s makes this another second-half highlight.
I’m sure there will be some people that miss the lo-fi and colder tone that permeated Molchat Doma’s first two albums, but I think they’ve evolved in ways that pushes their music further than before. Not only are the melodies more dynamic and capable of pulling in a little bit of everything post punk, synthpop, and goth, but the hooks are consistent from beginning to end and there weren’t any moments I wanted to skip past on repeat listens. Though they’ve been through quite a few changes, both life and musical, Molchat Doma has returned to show just why they’re one of the more exciting modern bands in these genres. Belaya Polosa is available from Sacred Bones Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg