DLINA VOLNY’s Eastern European roots and modern darkwave edge achieved a wider breakthrough on 2021’s ‘Dazed’, their first album entirely in English released through Italians Do It Better.
Speaking out against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Belarusian trio of Masha Zinevitch (lead vocals), Vad Mikutski (bass + guitar) and Ales Shishlo (keyboards) went into exile. With the conflict seemingly not ending and the unbelievable scenario of a Republican US president visibly acting as the puppet of a former KGB officer, DLINA VOLNY go from red to grey as ‘In Between’ delves into the turmoil of transformation, the sting of disillusionment, and the pull between the familiar and the unknown.
“Do your thing, don’t be afraid” was the message from DLINA VOLNY on their Radio Plato documentary. Playing with the physics of sound while exploring a variety of introspective themes, DLINA VOLNY understandably now sound heavier than they ever have before, but have retained their all-important melodic contrasts to counter any possibilities of proceedings becoming too dirgey.
Celebrating the escapist joy of sound, ‘Bliss’ is a fabulous concoction where synth arpeggios brighten the sombre skyline for a surprisingly optimistic opener. With cascading electronic riffs and synthbrass stabs, ‘Now & Again’ also lets light and air in. But “Through the city in the night alone”, the more gothic ‘Never The Same’ twists with a deeper shifted vocal register, skeletal guitar and icy string machine; it somehow manages to be danceable despite exploring the themes of loneliness, isolation, and self-reflection.
“Take us deep into your crypt” gestures Masha moodily as ‘Follow Me’ recalls fellow exiles MOLCHAT DOMA with washes of six string and solid bass for a plunge into the abyss. Meanwhile with an industrialised backbone, ‘Dance Me Away’ seduces into its foreboding incompatible otherworld, highlighting that danger often comes hand-in-hand with desire.
With the unsettling air of BOY HARSHER looming and under the threat of industrial torture, ‘Flair’ is boosted with a Cold War resonance by Masha’s haunting vocals and the chilling atmospheres that are encompassed. But almost straight out of the ‘Disintegration’ songbook, the ‘In Between’ title song tells not of days but a black forest awakening of reverberant synthbass and echoing guitar while ‘Dopplegänger’ is also reminiscent musically of THE CURE.
The exuberant if still sombre ‘Chant’ imagines Siouxsie gone Motorik and the excellent ‘Midnight’ recalls NEW ORDER’s similarly nocturnal ‘This Time Of Night’ in its rhythmic centre before ‘Burning Slow’ provides a short filmic instrumental set piece to close.
With ‘In Between’, DLINA VOLNY’s dark contralto ’brut-pop’ has developed their commentary on the continuing tensions around the world into something even bleaker and downcast in places as their art reflects life everywhere, but there are still moments of relief from the greater gloom to give hope to all.
‘In Between’ is released by Italians Do It Better, available from https://dlinavolny.bandcamp.com/
DLINA VOLNY 2025 UK live dates include: London Black Heart (14th August), Preston Ferret (15th August), Liverpool FrogFest (16th August), Coventry The Tin (17th August), Bristol Moor Beer (19th August), Brighton Prince Albert (20th August)
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Text by Chi Ming Lai
8th August 2025
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