PLOHO

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The Siberian post-punk band Ploho has emerged as a household name in their native Russia, and has slowly 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 the newly dubbed “new wave of Russian music,” creating a dark sound of rock, post-punk, and new wave that is captivating.

To date, Ploho has recorded four albums, and several EPs, as well as more than 10 singles, which they supported by touring more than 40 cities in Europe several times. They appeared at prominent festivals including Боль in Russia, Kalabalik in Sweden, and Platforma in Lithuania. Their latest album Пыль (Pyl) was released in 2019 and a vinyl edition quickly sold out. The record caught the attention of country-mates and recent Sacred Bones signees Molchat Doma, who offered to co-record a new song with Ploho.

Ploho’s music combines early post-punk, new wave and Russian rock, drawing inspiration from the aesthetic and sounds of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The band’s cold and depressing sound evokes the hopeful yet fearful era of the Soviet Union, just before its collapse, and is eerily reflective of our own strange time as well. In early 2020, Ploho signed a multi-album deal with Toronto-based Artoffact Records, who will release the band’s new album later this year.

It was not only Artoffact and Molchat Doma who noticed the band’s wonderful sound: Apple Music recently added them to the Breaking Russian Rock playlist, and Cult British fashion brand Fred Perry loves Ploho and recently offered to interview them.