There’s something rather compelling about a band who can make a song sound like it’s been beamed in from a particularly gloomy corner of Eastern Europe. Dlina Volny’s latest single 'Vochy' certainly manages that mood, wrapping a haunting combination of male and female vocals, brooding synths and a driving post-punk rhythm in a suitably shadowy darkwave atmosphere. It’s the sort of track that seems to lower the lighting in the room all by itself.
What particularly grabbed me is the tension running through the whole thing. While the music remains controlled and beautifully composed, there’s a simmering frustration underneath, reflecting the song’s themes of lies, abuse of power and information overload. The fact that this is Dlina Volny’s first release in Belarusian adds another interesting dimension, too.
There’s plenty of dark-pop polish here, but 'Vochy' never feels overly glossy. Instead, it manages that rather nice trick of sounding both intimate and imposing – moody, melodic and just a little bit unsettling. The song transmits from the speakers with gentle authority - making this listener extremely happy.