Plato Newsroom #14

Broneparovoz, Nürnberg, Alaska Airlines and other new Belarusian music.

21.12.2023

newsroom

Greetings! You are listening to the fourteenth episode of the Newsroom project, a news podcast from the Radio Plato team, in which we talk about new Belarusian music. My name is Jaŭhien Myownchoir, and we continue digging and sharing the gems of the domestic scene.

In this episode:

the first song by "Бронепаровоз" with romantic lyrics;
a nostalgic post-punk EP from Alaska Airlines;
a compilation of beats from Awlnight;
the personal story behind ERWI's new D'n'B release;
post-punk band Nürnberg's EP ahead of their new album.

"Бронепаровоз" is a punk band that feels free to experiment with genres and sounds. They combine elements of rock, metal, electronica and other genres, attracting both rockers and those hungry for fresh new sounds. The band recently released a new track called "Рассвет", which according to the band signifies a new beginning in their career. Here's the author of the song Vadzim, who plays guitar in the band:

– "Рассвет" is the first lyrical track we ever recorded and the first track we ever composed in the studio. It was written as a response to a emotional turmoil of a toxic relationship, when you realize this is the road to the hell, but the adrenaline of the wild speed only make push the pedal to the metal in hopes of catapulting at the very last moment.

Let's dip into the moody post-punk vibes of Alaska Airlines. This is a debut EP by the project of the two producers known for their techno background – Lebed and Void Cells. Both artists have previously released their respective tracks on notable techno compilations. Lebed tells us the story behind this collaboration:

– It was about two years ago, we met up at Maksim Lowpitch's place, Loukii came down with his guitar. We recorded the guitar and the drum parts for "Anyway". Later I came up with the lyrics. I am a terrible singer, so I asked by friend Void Cells who is a techno producer currently residing in London to record the vocals. We put the track aside for six months. Eventually we decided to start a separate post-punk project with just myself and Void Cells. Together we recorded the remaining songs for this EP.

Awlnight, currently residing in Vilnius, has put together all of his tracks released on various compilations over the years into a single release. Expect masterful lo-fi sampling, analogue synths and Dima's trademark eclecticism.

– During my career, many of my tracks were released on various compilations around the world. Many of these compilations were only released on labels' Bandcamp pages and were never uploaded to streaming services. Realizing that many of my listeners might not have heard these beats, I decided to compile them into one whole release. On this compilation, I collected tracks released on various compilations between 2016 and 2023. I feel like this release is filled with exactly the spirit of classic Awlnight, for which you loved me.

ERWI is an electronic producer from Miensk, notable for characteristic intricate and aggressive sound design with a tinge of abstract melancholy. A master of finger-drumming, he has earned acclaim of the Belarusian D'n'B scene. Here's what Sasha told us about this release:

– "The Final Decay" is about struggles with depression. I've had a rough year and this album is a reflection of what I was going through. The first title track is about the beginning phase when you are trying to figure out what is happening, self-reflection on this un-resourceful state. The second track "Metamorphosis" is about the beginnings of the turnaround, about hitting the rock bottom and pushing back up. Then starts the struggle with oneself and the external world, that's what "Collide" is about. "Feel This Way" is the lightest, most etherial track on the album. The fifth one, "Arces" is about the cyclical nature of it all, no matter how many good or bad days we have, they cycle will repeat. You can thus listen to the album on repeat.

There's never enough post-punk, especially with Belarusians being so good at it. Nürnberg has announced the release date for their new album "Adkaz" - February 8, 2024. Ahead of the big release comes "Znajomstva" EP including some new and some old tracks in their acoustic versions which come from the album recording sessions.

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That's it for today. This was the Newsroom podcast — the music news show by the Radio Plato team, where we gather info about the news of the Belarusian electronic music scene. The podcast is brought to you by our team: Reemotto, Stwone, Helga, Krik, Schmoltz , Nadya Ya, Stereobeaver, KorneJ and Myownchoir. Cover art by chernova.ya.

If you're a Belarusian making music, share it with us on social networks and we'll share it with the world in our next episodes. Subscribe to the podcast on streaming platforms, support us on Patreon, or simply Paypal us a donation – this helps us do more cool stuff. See you on the otherside!