Having rightfully earned accolades within the shoegaze and dreampop realm for their debut full length, Autwik, which was released last April, Saint Petersburg band, Chkbns, return with another underground pop delight made out of gazey qualities and songful prominence. Gold is out September the 20th, 2019 via British label, AWAL, and it streams for the first time right below.
Chkbns were formed by sisters Aneliya Avtandilova and Emiliia Grobova, alongside their friend, Vyacheslav Gabrielyan in 2012, and up to the release of their well received long player, the band steadily paved their way through a series of EPs and a strong live presence, including appearances on major festivals such as SXSW, Canadian Music Week, The Great Escape Festival, a great session at KEXP, and more.
Like a sturdy outtake from the genre merging symmetry of Autwik, the fresh song balances luxuriance with soft mistiness, and conveys the rising trio's existential worries justly, in a wistful, charming and gentle manner.
"Written after a jaunt to the UK (playing The Great Escape) maybe this is the reaction to being pushed into the spotlight, being part of the musical meat market," the band comment. "Maybe it’s a story of breaking up."
Cover art by Elly Murganova
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ZR