Ploho

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.

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.