Bichkraft

Ukrainian group Bichkraft make tense, noisy experimental post-punk filled with an array of caustic guitars and electronic beats, all arranged in a haphazard yet urgent manner. The band's members are based in Kiev, a city without a flourishing scene for rock bands. Out of necessity, they've had to forge their own path, recording in makeshift studios and performing in D.I.Y. venues. Dima Novichenko and Jenia Bichowski, both vocalists and guitarists, formed the group in 2014, shortly after meeting. They were soon joined by bassist Serzh Kupriychuk, and the trio recorded their debut album, Mascot, in a basement. Brooklyn label <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Wharf+Cat+Records%22">Wharf Cat Records</a> signed Bichkraft and released the full-length in 2015. The band moved from using sampled breakbeats to live drum machines when Zenya Fenec joined. For their second album, they built their own studio in the middle of a trash-strewn lot in Kiev. The full-length Shadoof was released in 2016, shortly before the group embarked on its first North American tour. While in New York, they recorded several songs with producer <a href="spotify:artist:0AEN6BUw09b75pa4OWds9S">Carson Cox</a> of <a href="spotify:artist:6naGTpITCSx3St2nZgxDuz">Merchandise</a>; additionally, <a href="spotify:artist:1wwIWCS55JD5X6PlR9aBMT">WALL</a>'s <a href="spotify:artist:2DBuMZXGVPuai9UMCmBu0q">Sam York</a> and Elizabeth Skadden sang lead vocals on one song each. A digital EP containing remixes of the song "Ashley" was released near the end of the year. After recording additional songs in the group's home city, the full-length 800 was issued in March of 2018. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi