Photo by Alina Pasok, Karim Belkasemi
Belarusian post-punk trio Molchat Doma have unveiled their latest single and video for “Belaya Polosa,” the title track from their forthcoming album, set to drop on September 6th via Sacred Bones. Accompanying this release is the announcement of a 2025 North American headline tour, where they will grace some of their largest stages to date.
Following on from singles “Son” and “Ty Zhe Ne Znaesh Kto Ya,” “Belaya Polosa” epitomizes the band’s evolving sonic landscape and the intense personal struggles that have shaped their recent work. The track evokes the dark allure of Depeche Mode’s Violator era, with Egor’s vocal performance striking a perfect balance between brooding melancholy and urgent intensity. The synth-driven textures recall the electronic mastery of Depeche Mode, while the guitar and bass lines are drenched in the atmospheric reverb characteristic of The Cure’s Disintegration. Yet, far from wallowing in despair, the song’s driving tempo suggests a restless forward momentum, a determination to move beyond past sorrows into an uncertain but hopeful future.
“Belaya Polosa” translates to “White Stripe,” a poignant metaphor for a fleeting glimmer of hope amid pervasive darkness. The lyrics delve into the fragile state of the human psyche amidst chaos, capturing the desperate struggle to maintain sanity and the resolve to endure turmoil, albeit temporarily. It speaks to farewells and the heavy weight of accumulated pain and resentment, amplifying the song’s urgency and fragility. Molchat Doma’s signature blend of coldwave and post-punk perfectly encapsulates this existential battle, making “Belaya Polosa” a potent reminder of human vulnerability.
“Written in LA after over a year of living in a new place, the song captures the interplay of past and present,” the band explains. “It reflects the realization that you’re no longer drawn to where you left, yet you don’t completely sever ties. It’s as if life has been paused. The lyrics explore self-understanding across time, the evolution of your social circle, and an outsider’s view of people from a ‘past life’.”
The video for “Belaya Polosa,” directed by Ambar Navarro, combines the evocative aesthetics of early 90s MTV with the cinematic grandeur of Ingmar Bergman and Andrei Tarkovsky. The end result is a spellbinding sequence of imagery reminiscent of the influential 1988 music video for Joy Division’s “Atmosphere” and many of Depeche Mode’s videos directed by Anton Corbijn.
Watch the video for “Belaya Polosa” below:
In the four years since their last album, Monument, vocalist Egor Shkutko, bassist/synth player Pavel Kozlov, and primary songwriter, producer, and arranger Raman Kamahortsau have undergone significant personal transformations, which are reflected in their new music. “The entire album is a prism through which we tried to reflect what has happened to us,” the band notes. Kamahortsau once again took on production duties, but the sonic landscape of Belaya Polosa is markedly different from their previous works.
Where their earlier albums sounded like third-generation bootlegs of banned Eastern Bloc recordings influenced by Factory Records imports, Belaya Polosa propels them in a new direction while retaining their cold minimalist delivery. The raw, basement grime of their past gives way to a digital sheen and shimmering production values. This album is a testament to change in difficult times, a love letter to the digital pulse of the ‘90s, and a vibrant reinvention of their somber dance-floor anthems.
Belaya Polosa is out September 6, 2024. Pre-Order here.
Molchat Doma are set to embark on a sprawling 2025 tour, gracing stages across Europe and North America. The tour kicks off in Glasgow on October 20 before sweeping through major cities like London, Paris, Berlin, and Milan. Following their European tour, the band will head to North America, where they will be joined by special guests Sextile for all shows. The North American leg of the tour will kick off in Las Vegas on January 16 and will conclude in Oakland on March 5.
Tickets go on sale Friday, August 9th at 10 am local time and can be purchased here.
Tour Dates
Europe:
North America
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