Splean (Сплин; the misspelling of “spleen” in English is intentional) is a well-established post-Soviet Russian rock band. The name was inspired by a poem by Sasha Chyorniy (Саша Чёрный), a Silver Age poet, which referenced the depression-like ailment of spleen. The band was founded in 1994 by Aleksandr Vasilyev (Александр Васильев). Before this, Vasilyev had […]

Murakami (Мураками) is a Russian alternative rock band named after the iconic Japanese writer Haruki Murakami. Since their first hit single in 2010, the band has achieved widespread popularity in Russia and the former Soviet Republics, frequently making their way onto Hit Parade and other music charts. Murakami originally formed in the fall of 2004 […]

Nervy (Нервы; “nerves”) is a Ukrainian alternative-rock band led by singer and pianist Zhenya Milkovskiy (Женя Мильковский). He formed the band in 2010 after his solo career, which he had begun several years earlier, didn’t yield the results he wanted. The original members of the band were Milkovskiy (vocals, guitar), Dmitry Dudka (Дмитрий Дудка; bass guitar), […]

Orgia Pravednikov (Оргия Праведников, Eng.: Orgy of the Righteous) is a Russian alternative rock band. They formed in Moscow in 1999 when guitarist Sergei Kalugin (Сергей Калугин) joined forces with the art-rock group ARTel (ARТель), and since then Orgia Pravednikov has continually honed its unique sound, which combines elements of acoustic and electronic music. Orgia […]

Svetlana Surganova (Светлана Яковлена Сурганова) is a Russian singer, musician, soloist, poet, and band leader most famous for her role in the Night Snipers (Ночные снайперы, 1993–2002) and as leader of the group Surganova and Orchestra (Сурганова и оркестр). Surganova, born in 1968, is originally from Leningrad and started to write songs at the age […]

U-Piter (Ю-Питер) is a Russian rock band formed in 2001 by Vyacheslav Butusov (Вячеслав Бутусов), who is best known for the popular Soviet rock band Nautilus Pompilius (Наутилус Помпилиус). The band usually writes their name in the Greek alphabet, to cement their connection to the god Jupiter (… who is Roman, but the point still […]

Zemfira (Земфира) is the stage name of Zemfira Talgatovna Ramazanova (Земфира Талгатовна Рамазанова), a Russian rock musician originally from Ufa, Bashkortostan. Zemfira has sold more than three million records over the course of her career, and continues to be popular in Russia and the former Soviet Republics. Zemfira was influenced from an early age by rock […]

The Night Snipers (Ночные снайперы) is a Russian alternative rock band originally formed in 1993. The band began as an acoustic duo consisting of Diana Arbenina (Диана Сергеевна Арбенина) on guitar and Svetlana Surganova (Светлана Яковлевна Сурганова) on violin. The Night Snipers’ songs are often poetic compositions, many of which feature the work of famous […]

Smyslovye Gallyutsinatsii (Смысловые галлюцинации) is a Russian alt-rock band from Yekaterinburg whose sound has evolved from straightforward punk rock to, in recent years, more experimental works that sound closer to post-punk or indie. The band’s name translates to “meaningful hallucinations.” Smyslovye Gallyutsinatsii formed in 1989, at the end of the Soviet period, but did not […]