If the idea of three dour gents from Minsk picking up where the synth-shocked Joy Division of "Isolation" abruptly left off all those years ago and running with the idea full-tilt from there appeals to you ... well ... we've got your next record, right here.

Etazhi ("Floors") is the second album by Belarusian combo Molchat Doma ("Houses Are Silent"), originally released overseas in 2018 but picked up along with the rest of the band's catalogue by doting American indie label Sacred Bones in 2020. And it's a goodie: 33 minutes of brittle lo-fi synth-pop chilliness that zeroes in on one particularly brooding and obsidian vibe and sticks with it for the duration. So, no, Etazhi is not a terribly uplifting listen but it is a compelling one and Molchat Doma has a gift for compact, sticky songwriting to rival Wire's so even if you don't share the group's native tongue you'll still find its tunes rattling around in your head for days. All of Molchat Doma's stuff is pretty rad, but this is a terrific entry point.

TRACKLISTING:

1. На дне
2. Танцевать
3. Фильмы
4. Волны
5. Тоска
6. Прогноз
7. Судно (Борис Рижий)
8. Коммерсанты
9. Клетка