If major events and cultural shifts are what elevate music, now is an excellent time to take stock of what’s happening in Russia, more than 600 days after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the imposition of militarized censorship, and the spread of wartime social norms. To learn about Russia’s contemporary music scene and how the invasion influences popular trends, Meduza spoke to music journalists Denis Boyarinov and Lev Gankin. For an insider’s perspective, The Naked Pravda also sat down with Kirill Ivanov, the leader of the band Самое Большое Простое Число (The Largest Prime Number).

Timestamps for this episode:

• (3:42) Rating the level of freedom for musicians in Russia today
• (6:48) DDT and rock culture
• (9:22) Face and rap music
• (11:51) Censorship
• (16:14) The Safe Internet League
• (28:27) Kirill Ivanov, frontman of the band The Largest Prime Number
• (43:16) Ultra-patriotic musicians
• (54:07) “Recommended” Z-music listening

Как поддержать нашу редакцию — даже если вы в России и вам очень страшно