Shortparis

Shortparis formed in 2015 in Novossibirsk, a Siberian city that feels a long way from the usual music industry centers. The band includes Nikolai Komyagin on vocals, Alexander Gayan on guitar, Daniil Kholodkov on bass, Pavel Lesnikov on drums, and Dmitry Emets on keyboards.

Their music pulls from post-punk and industrial sounds, creating something tense and atmospheric. The 2018 album "Страшно" gives a good sense of their approach, the title track builds around a stark, unsettling melody and lyrics that sit somewhere between poetry and existential unease.

In 2020, the group was fined after a concert performance that involved nudity and simulated sex acts. That incident reflects how their live shows have sometimes crossed lines for local authorities, though they've kept making music on their own terms.