PLOHO + Post-Punk

PLOHO: Russian trio premieres new Artoffact Records album "Phantom Feelings" via Post-Punk.com 

One day in advance of the release of Ploho's Phantom Feelings, Post-Punk.com presents a premiere of the entire album.

Stream Phantom Feelings, here:
https://post-punk.com/album-of-the-month-listen-to-russian-post-punk-trio-plohos-phantom-feelings/

Buy the album, here:

https://plohoband.bandcamp.com/

Based in Novosibirsk, Siberia, Russia, Ploho is one of the most prominent purveyors of a “new wave of Russian music,” reflecting its homeland by way of a cold, wistful style of rock. Wielding melancholy guitars, minimalist beats, and deadpan Russian vocals, Ploho draws inspiration from the aesthetic and sounds of the late Soviet era of the 1980s, just before the collapse. The band's bleak rock references Russian bands of that time period, such as Kino, as well as post-punk royalty like Joy Division.

Formed in 2013, the trio has emerged as a household name in its native Russia, and has slowly built up a dedicated fanbase in Europe and abroad. To date, Ploho has recorded four albums and several EPs, as well as more than ten singles, and has toured Europe extensively. In 2019, they teamed up with celebrated Sacred Bones Records band Molchat Doma to collaborate on a song titled "Along the Edge of the Island." Post-Punk.com featured the two bands in this recent article about the Soviet-inspired scene of today: https://post-punk.com/russian-post-punk/

A string of evocative music videos has also helped convey Ploho's distinct vision, including this one which has racked up almost 450,000 views: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-QwaA1NzAA

As one of the newest signings to Artoffact Records, Ploho joins a roster already stacked with exciting artists from around the globe, exploring different facets of post-punk: Iceland's Kælan Mikla, Lithuania's Solo Ansamblis, and Canada's ACTORS, to name just three.

"Driven forth by droning keys, racing guitars, and swift bassline... Evoking the introspective feelings captured by The Cure circa 1980-1981."
–Post-Punk

"The Siberia-based band offer nine dark dance tracks that conjure spectral images of dive-y spaces filled with people who like their club music served with a good dose of melancholy."
–Bandcamp Daily

"A wistful tune of jangled guitar-work and low-end rumble... It’s a colder wave of sounds fit for a band hailing from the southwestern section of Siberia off the banks of the Ob River."
–Vanyaland

"Cold post-punk influenced by groups such as Kino and Joy Division."
–Scene Point Blank

"Anthemic hooks paired with ironically detached vocals sung in Russian. And while being a dance floor friendly bop, the song is imbued with the sort of nostalgia and melancholy that makes it sound as though it could have been released during 4AD Records‘ heyday."
–Joy of Violent Movement

Photo by Artur Mamleev