Looking ahead: A review of Molchat Doma’s ambitious fourth album

After finding Tik Tok fame in the early 2020s, Belarusian post-punk titans Molchat Doma have continued their musical evolution with their latest project, Belaya Polosa. The album builds on their artistic ambitions since becoming an overnight sensation. But is it a successful step forward in the band’s progression?

For a band or artist, becoming a one-hit wonder is a blessing and a curse. You achieve success while doing what you love. Perhaps your song becomes the soundtrack for a summer, a year, or maybe even a generation. However, it is also bitter-sweet. Sales from a single will dry up, radio play will diminish, and the revenue will eventually slow to a trickle. Additionally, it is demoralising to put work into subsequent projects without finding the same critical or financial success.

Hailing from Minsk, Belarus, the trio that comprise Molchat Doma — vocalist Egor Shkustko, guitarist and keyboardist Roman Komogortsev, and bassist and keyboardist Pavel Kozlov — should have followed this path. Their single “Судно (Борис Рижий) (Sudno (Boris Rizhiy))” became a smash, if surprising, hit on TikTok. Dour with deep, reverbed vocals, a danceable beat, and lyrics detailing a failed suicide, the song accompanied hundreds of thousands of videos.

The content of these clips ranged from simply trying on clothes to compilations of Soviet-era architecture. The group became the face of the early 2020s trend of glorification and popularisation of Soviet and post-Soviet aesthetic. “The harsh greyness of the Soviet aesthetic can be a reprieve from the peppy, hyper-saturated landscapes of consumer America,” Cat Zhang notes on Pitchfork.

Thankfully, the band has escaped the one-hit-wonder trap. While “Судно” (Sudno) remains their most popular song, the band continues to press on. Many of their songs have tens of millions of streams while their albums consistently receive positive reviews from critics. They are undoubtedly the kings of Belarus’ post-punk and darkwave scene. After the release of 2020’s “Монумент (Monument)”, which marked a departure from the lo-fi sound of previous records, their follow-up was met with eager anticipation.

An evolving sound

On September 6, 2024, Molchat Doma released their fourth studio album – Белая Полоса (Belaya Polosa, or “white stripe”). The album finds the band hitting a peak of ambition and confidence. While still maintaining their classic downbeat-yet-danceable sound, they are continuing to move forward artistically. For one, the band is further embracing electronics to the point that they are central to their sound, rather than an accoutrement.

Like in all of their previous albums, the opening song, “Ты же не знаешь кто я (Ty Zhe He Znaesh Kto Ya)” (But you don’t know who I am), utilises only synths without guitar and bass. However, songs such as “Колесом (Kolesom)”, “III”, and “Я так устал (Ya Tak Ustal)” (I’m so tired) are completely absent of bass and electric guitars.

This plays into the progression that began with the band’s third album Монумент  (Monument). The lo-fi aesthetics and post-punk proclivities on display in their first two albums are being left behind for a more grandiose, muscular, and confident sound. The group sounds less like Joy Division and more like Depeche Mode, with Белая Полоса (Belaya Polosa) often evoking Depeche Mode’s 1990 album Violator. However, guitar and bass are still present on most of the songs on the album. While Komogortsev’s guitar playing continues to add atmosphere and suspense with its sparse and frenetic playing, Kozlov’s bass playing has changed dramatically since their debut album.

Earlier in Molchat Doma’s career, the basslines more often relied on consistent, strumming patterns similar to Joy Division’s Peter Hook. This style has been largely abandoned in favour of groovier, rhythmic or melodic lines. This was apparent on their previous album with songs such as “Ленинградский Блюз (Leningradskyi Blues)”. His development, a pillar of the band’s changing sound, can be found on songs such as “Сон (Son)”, “Черные цветы (Chornye Svety)”, and “Не вдвоем (Ne Vdvoem)”. These all contain head bopping grooves or spacey, melodic lines from Kozlov.

Brooding and introspective

Frontman and vocalist Egor Shustko shines throughout the album. Lyrically, the songs maintain the depressive motifs that have been a trademark of the band since their debut. Personal feelings of grievance abound on many tracks. In the opener, Shustko seemingly bemoans a failed relationship and the inability of the partners to understand each other, “You don’t hear me, you can’t even imagine. You do not love me: I just annoy you.” He further discusses a failed relationship in “Chornye Tsvety”, singing, “You loved these black flowers; From which love poison is made.”

Historically, the band has shied away from directly addressing politics, wary of potential repercussions while living in Belarus. However, many of their songs could be interpreted through the lens of politics, and Belaya Polosa is no different. For instance, in “Колесом (Kolesom)”, Shustko remarks, “No, this world is unshakeable by me; Everything cannot be conquered.”

Yet, with these familiar themes also comes growth. Whereas previously the vocals sat at the same level, or even behind the other instruments, the singing is now front and centre. For instance, on the song “Не вдвоем (Ne Vdvoem)”, Shustko hits impressively high notes.

An uneven triumph

Overall, the second half of the album is not quite able to capture the same magic as the first half. The first five songs on the LP contain some of the band’s best material. It keeps the listener engaged and excited to hear what is next. The latter five tracks are not quite able to do the same. At times, these songs can feel monotonous and slightly one-note. Each track nonetheless contains highlights that still make this project an endearing listen as a whole.

Regardless of any downsides, Molchat Doma have produced a solid record that contains some career highlights. The band is hitting its creative stride and is eager to experiment with its sound. Although the departure from the sound that first gained them popularity does not always pan out, the album is still immensely enjoyable. Whether you are a longtime fan, or just beginning to dip your toes into their work, this is an essential listen.

Key tracks: Ты же не знаешь кто я (Ty Zhe He Znaesh Kto Ya), Колесом (Kolesom), and Сон (Son).

Listen to the album here.