Russian post-internet pop: Listen to IC3PEAK’s new LP FALLAL

Moscow-based musicians IC3PEAK have released a new LP, FALLAL, exploring the increasing commercialisation of the music industry, gender, and the notion of futurism.

IC3PEAK is part of the new wave of young Russian creatives who effortlessly use the tropes and universal visuals of the internet to talk about issues they face in the country, and those they share with their global audience. With their broken melodies and haunting vocals, IC3PEAK speak out about gender, sexuality, femininity and the state of music industry.

“In FALLAL we aim to explore depth of ugliness in beauty & vice-versa,” said IC3PEAK’s Nick and Nastya. Central to the LP are the vocals which range from soft whispers to piercing screams. IC3PEAK wanted to show the female voice as aggresive and hysteric, rather than solely beautiful. “Screaming is the universal international language, understood worldwide,” they say.

“The message of our music is brought about by the aggressive context in which we exist — both online and offline. Accepting ourselves as objects is another topic we dedicate this album to: the music industry turns artists into merchandise. When we accept ourselves as a product we transgress into the sphere of objects, accessories, brands without corporate industry interruption. This album is self-released and the first several copies were made as USB-necklaces which you can wear,” they said.

The full LP Fallal is available to stream and purchase on the band’s Bandcamp page.