Post-punk outfit Ploho (Russian for “bad”) find their bleak, melancholy inspiration in the frigid, inhospitable environment encountered in their native Novosibirsk, Siberia.
The band’s sound evokes the hopeful yet fearful era of the waning of the Soviet Union; eerily reflective of our own strange time as well. In an era where the world seems on the brink of collapse, their new single “Магнитофон,” which translates into English as “magneto phone,” aka a reel-to-reel tape recorder, might be the perfect soundtrack. The song is brimming with nostalgic romance, with its basslines, keys, and guitars, evoking all the unabashed tenderness of The Cure circa 1985-1987.
Listen to “Магнитофон” below:
On November 4th, Ploho will release Когда душа спит (When The Soul Sleeps), their most haunting and powerful album to date. Когда душа спит (When The Soul Sleeps) is due out on October 4th via Artoffact Records.
Pre-orders are available HERE.
Previously, the band unveiled the brilliantly shot video for the single “Не будем прощаться.” Watch below:
Ploho emerged as a household name in their native Russia, and has built up a dedicated fanbase in Europe and abroad. The band was formed by singer and guitarist Victor Uzhakov in 2013, who tapped Andrei Smorgonsky on bass and Igor Starshinov on synths. The threesome are one of the most prominent purveyors of “Russian Doomer,” creating a dark and captivating blend of rock, post-punk, and new wave.
In 2020, Ploho found a new home with Toronto-based Artoffact Records who re-released their 2019 album Пыль (Pyl). That record caught the attention of Molchat Doma, who offered to co-record a new song with Ploho.
Tracklist:
Follow Ploho:
Truth stands on the gallows Liеs sit on the throne Something in thе shadows Communicates…
These are empty words They mean nothing Zeroed in the flesh You output the void…
Your heart of stone I slept in silence Sweeter than a Georgia peach yet steeped…
Scene: the dim, pulsating heart of a dive bar, where the music pulses through the…
"The grey sells green only if the green cell's grey" In the orbit of the…
Embarking upon a profound meditation on the nature of success and loss, one invariably arrives…