DETIETI “Frogressive Punk” ([addicted label])

This isn’t as dumb as you think it might be, regardless of how you feel about something called Frogressive Punk or what a nine-minute intro track called “Cocaintro” (complete with rabid sniffing) does to your constitution. No, this is heavy prog, in Russian, with distinct elements of funk (oh, I guess the “F” in Frogressive and the “unk” in Punk sort of point to that). Think Zappa meets Fishbone; Living Color meets King Crimson; Yes meets the Chili Peppers. Actually, now that I’ve written that, I don’t feel like I’m selling it. But it’s still pretty entertaining, and at least the vocals are mostly spoken and quite spread out and in Russian, so they’re not nearly as annoying as they could be. The musicianship is absolutely top notch; I’d recommend giving these guys a try if you’re into any of the stuff I just said. Probably a lot of you are.

Still, it’s like listening to a cartoon.

https://detieti.bandcamp.com/

https://noname666.bandcamp.com/

--Ryan

IWKC “Hladikarna” ([addicted label])

Heavy sheez from the Russian Federation, IWKC (or I Will Kill Chita) writes their descriptive copy in the Cyrillic alphabet, so I can’t read a thing! Nothing. I know that the band has a four-person core with a cast of many others helping out on “extreme vocals,” “German vocals,” “Gyuke voices,” “vocals,” and, uh, “Full Power.” Stoner/sludge/prog as interpreted by our eastern friends, then, becomes a melting pot for experimental flourishes. There’s a great, big, shining promise in the middle of our minds, and if we expand them, maybe we can set it free. But only if we play/listen to incredible psych music.

Which is what we get from IWKC. Heaving guitars chunk their way across a distorted spectrum, while synth trills trace melodies like chemtrails. Tabla and other percussive elements add flavor, while voices chant and intone incomprehensible dialects. It’s almost weird when the English-language “Youth” busts in around 2/3 of the way through, sounding like Yes in the midst of a King Gizzard-meets-Sleep-athon. It’s all good in the end. I really feel bad for Chita, though – why kill anyone?

A word on the label: “Addicted label without name and logo support all types of psychedelic music, formed in Moscow in 2011.” There you have it.

https://noname666.bandcamp.com

--Ryan