Repetition and Aesthetic Evolution in Post-Soviet Post-Punk: From Kino to 2010s Cold Wave

ongoing

In the late 2010s, there was a resurgence in the global popularity of Russian and Belarusian post-punk bands, particularly those within the 'Cold Wave' subgenre. This post-Soviet music bears a strong resemblance to that of Kino, the iconic Soviet band that defined youth music culture during the perestroika era (1985-1991). Kino’s status was solidified as legendary after the tragic death of its charismatic singer, Viktor Tsoi, in a car accident in August 1990. This project aims to analyze the musical evolution and cultural significance of post-punk music in Russia and Belarus, focusing particularly on the 'Cold Wave' subgenre and its connections to Kino and contemporary post-Soviet music. The research will begin with a musicological analysis to highlight the differences between Kino and UK post-punk bands of the 1980s, as well as between Kino and post-Soviet Cold Wave bands of the 2010s. The study will focus on the concept of 'discursivity' as shaped by the guitar, examining how this musical element connects Kino to post-Soviet Cold Wave music while differentiating it from the UK Cold Wave. The music of Kino and post-Soviet Cold Wave is more aligned with Richard Middleton's idea of “discursive repetition” than with “musematic repetition,” which is more characteristic of the UK Cold Wave. The project will explore how this form of repetition, as a musical material, interacts with other elements within recordings. Furthermore, the research seeks to move beyond prevailing interpretations of Russian rock that are primarily focused on lyrics. It will re-examine the relationship between music and lyrics, developing innovative methodologies for popular music analysis. The project also intends to critically reinterpret Adornian socio-musicological concepts within the context of popular music, advancing into an interdisciplinary research approach that bridges sociology, philosophy, linguistics, cultural studies, and other related fields.