Monument (Molchat Doma album)

Molchat Doma's second studio album, Etazhi (Floors), was released in September 2018. Throughout the next year, the album slowly gained popularity on YouTube through an unofficially uploaded stream of the album, which gained roughly two million listens before being taken down due to a copyright notice, as well as recommendations and playlists on the platform.{{Cite web |last=Zhang |first=Cat |date=25 June 2020 |title=How Belarusian Post-Punks Molchat Doma Became a TikTok Meme |url=https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/how-belarusian-post-punks-molchat-doma-became-a-tiktok-meme/ |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=Pitchfork}}{{Cite web |last=Dumler |first=Jean |date=23 October 2019 |title=Eine der beliebtesten New-Wave-Bands aus Osteuropa kommt nach Berlin |url=https://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/molchat-doma-aus-minsk-eine-der-beliebtesten-new-wave-bands-aus-osteuropa-kommt-nach-berlin/25143146.html |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=Tagesspiegel |language=German}}{{Cite web |last=Stefanini |first=Giacomo |title=Se il punk è ancora vivo nel 2020, è anche grazie ai canali YouTube |url=https://www.vice.com/it/article/939dv3/youtube-punk-rock-channels |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=Vice Italy |date=24 February 2020 |language=Italian}} While touring in 2019, the band performed the then-unrecorded songs "Не смешно" (Not Funny) and "Ответа нет" (No Answer), both of which would later appear on Monument.{{Cite web |title=Molchat Doma: Monument |url=https://www.sacredbonesrecords.com/products/sbr262-molchat-doma-monument |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=Sacred Bones Records}}

The band later signed with American independent record label Sacred Bones Records in January 2020.{{Cite web |url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/belarusian-darkwave-band-molchat-doma-sign-to-sacred-bones-reissuing-lps-touring-north-america/ |title=Belarusian darkwave band Molchat Doma sign to Sacred Bones, reissuing LPs, touring North America |last=Pearis |first=Bill |date=28 January 2020 |website=BrooklynVegan |access-date=26 November 2020}} Around the same time, one of the songs from Etazhi, "Судно (Борис Рыжий)" (Vessel (Boris Ryzhy)), began gaining popularity on the video sharing platform TikTok as a result of it being used frequently as background music in videos on the platform;{{Cite web |last=Amter |first=Charlie |date=18 May 2020 |title=Belarusian Group That Sounds Like Joy Division Scores Streaming Hit on Anniversary of Ian Curtis' Death |url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/joy-division-ian-curtis-death-anniversary-russian-molchat-doma-1234609973/ |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=Variety}} this would cause the song to eventually reach No. 2 on the Spotify worldwide Viral 50 chart{{Cite web |last=Davidson |first=Emma Elizabeth |date=21 May 2020 |title=Three TikTok fashion challenges to shake up your wardrobe |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/49321/1/tiktok-wardrobe-diy-fashion-challenge-character-style-noen-eubanks-hype-house |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=Dazed}} and No. 1 on the United States Viral 50 chart. Molchat Doma were set to tour North America, alongside American singer-songwriter Chrysta Bell, in 2020, but were forced to postpone their tour dates when the COVID-19 pandemic had severely impacted the continent. While isolating in their home town of Minsk due to the severity of the pandemic, they began recording a new album.

Monument was officially announced as Molchat Doma's third studio album on 15 September 2020. On the same day, they released the lead single from the album, "Не смешно".{{Cite web |last=Hussey |first=Allison |date=15 September 2020 |title=Molchat Doma Announce New Album, Share New Song "Ne Smeshno": Listen |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/molchat-doma-announce-new-album-share-new-song-ne-smeshno-listen/ |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=Pitchfork}} A music video for the song was released on 29 September.{{Cite web |last=Graver |first=David |date=29 September 2020 |title=Molchat Doma: Ne Smeshno |url=https://coolhunting.com/culture/molchat-doma-ne-smeshno/ |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=Cool Hunting}} A second single from the album, "Дискотека" (Discotheque), was released on 14 October, with a music video also being released on the same day.{{Cite web |last=Teeple |first=Alice |date=14 October 2020 |title=Belarusian Post-Punk trio Molchat Doma are a Dancefloor Smash Hit in their Video for "Discotheque" |url=https://post-punk.com/belarusian-post-punk-trio-molchat-doma-are-a-dancefloor-smash-hit-in-their-video-for-discotheque/ |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=Post-Punk.com}} The third and final pre-release single for the album, "Ответа нет" was released on 29 October, with an accompanying lyric video also being released for it. The band also performed the song live on the Russian late night talk show Evening Urgant.{{Cite web |date=30 October 2020 |title=Molchat Doma share single "Otveta Net" & Russian TV performance ahead of album 'Monument' out Nov 13 on Sacred Bones. |url=https://www.bizzarre.co.uk/post/molchat-doma-otveta-net |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=Bizzarre}}

Monument was released on 13 November 2020 through Sacred Bones Records, the band's first release through the label. It received releases on digital platforms for download and streaming as well as physical releases. It received standard releases as a CD, cassette, and black 12-inch vinyl. The album also received multiple exclusive vinyl releases. Through Sacred Bones' website, a blue vinyl limited to 2,000 copies, "blue ice" vinyl limited to 1,000 copies, and blue vinyl with deluxe packaging limited to 400 copies were made available. Members of Sacred Bones' Record Society club were also able to exclusively order a "purple stardust" vinyl through the website. Exclusive versions were also sold by Rough Trade in the United Kingdom as a "black and clear splatter" vinyl,{{Cite web |title=Molchat Doma - Monument |url=https://www.roughtrade.com/us/molchat-doma/monument/lp-plus-2 |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=Rough Trade}} Newbury Comics in the United States as a silver vinyl,{{Cite web |title=Molchat Doma - Monument Exclusive LP |url=https://www.newburycomics.com/products/molchat_doma-monument_exclusive_lp |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=Newbury Comics}} and Seasick Records in the United States as a "blue stardust" vinyl.{{Cite web |title=Molchat Doma - Monument [LP - Blue Starburst + Print] |url=https://seasickbham.com/products/molchat-doma-monument-lp-blue-starburst |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=Seasick Records}}

{{Album ratings

| MC = 80/100{{Cite web |title=Critic Reviews for Monument |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/monument/molchat-doma/critic-reviews |access-date=24 November 2020 |website=Metacritic}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |last=Simpson |first=Paul |title=Monument - Molchat Doma |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/monument-mw0003428676 |access-date=24 November 2020 |website=AllMusic}}

| rev2 = Loud and Quiet

| rev2score = 8/10{{Cite web |last=Crabtree |first=Isabel |date=9 November 2020 |title=Molchat Doma - Monument |url=https://www.loudandquiet.com/reviews/molchat-doma-monument/ |access-date=27 November 2020 |website=Loud and Quiet}}

| rev3 = musicOMH

| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |last=Cotsell |first=Matt |date=13 November 2020 |title=Molchat Doma – Monument |url=https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/molchat-doma-monument |access-date=24 November 2020 |website=musicOMH}}

| rev4 = Pitchfork

| rev4score = 7.0/10{{Cite web |last=Bardhan |first=Ashley |date=17 November 2020 |title=Molchat Doma: Monument Album Review |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/molchat-doma-monument/ |access-date=24 November 2020 |website=Pitchfork}}

| rev5 = PopMatters

| rev5score = {{rating|8|10}}{{Cite web |last=Soulsby |first=Nick |date=9 November 2020 |title=Molchat Doma's 'Monument' Echoes the Belarusian Protests |url=https://www.popmatters.com/molchat-doma-monument-review-2648622089.html |access-date=24 November 2020 |website=PopMatters}}

| rev6 = Spectrum Culture

| rev6score = 80%{{Cite web |last=Dempsey |first=Colin |date=10 November 2020 |title=Molchat Doma: Monument |url=https://spectrumculture.com/2020/11/10/molchat-doma-monument-review/ |access-date=27 November 2020 |website=Spectrum Culture}}

}}

Monument received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 80, based on 5 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". AllMusic's Paul Simpson felt that Monument sounded "brighter and more polished" than Etazhi as well as "more overtly danceable than their earlier records". Simpson further stated that the album contained "some of their most hook-filled songs to date". Nick Soulsby of PopMatters wrote that "the album's clearest virtue is its precision: nine songs, no filler, no visible weaknesses — Monument is as solid as the monoliths to which it harkens".

Matt Cotsell of musicOMH complimented the album's title and overall imagery, adding that "Molchat Doma are having a blast reclaiming their heritage and proving themselves to be a more than an entertaining chip off the old Bloc". Writing for The Quietus, Laviea Thomas wrote that "in so many ways, Monument encapsulates everything Molchat Doma has to offer", feeling that it was a proper finish to a successful year for the band that included a signing to Sacred Bones Records and an uptick in streams.{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Laviea |date=18 November 2020 |title=Molchat Doma - Monument |url=https://thequietus.com/articles/29233-molchat-doma-monument-review |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=The Quietus}} Pitchfork{{'}}s Ashley Bardhan felt the album's performances sounded "more confident" with the music sounding "less muddy", also complimenting the band's decision not to "[pander] to the audience attracted by their improbable TikTok breakthrough".

In the United States, Monument failed to enter the Billboard 200, the primary album chart for the country, although it entered other Billboard charts. On the Top Album Sales chart, which counts only pure album sales, the album entered at No. 97.{{Cite magazine |title=Top Album Sales Chart: Week of November 28, 2020 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/top-album-sales/2020-11-28 |access-date=26 November 2020 |magazine=Billboard |url-access=subscription}} On the World Albums chart, which ranks the best-selling world music albums, the album entered at No. 12.{{Cite magazine |title=World Albums Chart: Week of November 28, 2020 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/world-albums/2020-11-28 |access-date=26 November 2020 |magazine=Billboard |url-access=subscription}} Additionally, it peaked at No. 14 on the Top Tastemaker Albums chart{{Cite magazine |title=Tastemaker Albums Chart: Week of November 28, 2020 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/tastemaker-albums |access-date=26 November 2020 |magazine=Billboard |url-access=subscription}} and number 21 on the Heatseekers Albums chart.{{Cite magazine |title=Heatseekers Album Chart: Week of November 28, 2020 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/heatseekers-albums/2020-11-28 |access-date=26 November 2020 |magazine=Billboard |url-access=subscription}}

{{Tracklist

| headline = Monument track listing

| all_lyrics = Egor Shkutko

| all_music = Roman Komogortsev

| total_length = 40:12

| title1 = Утонуть

| note1 = Utonut', "Drown"

| length1 = 5:44

| title2 = Обречен

| note2 = Obrechen, "Doomed"

| length2 = 4:08

| title3 = Дискотека

| note3 = Diskoteka, "Discotheque" (officially translated as "Discoteque" {{sic}})

| length3 = 4:04

| title4 = Не смешно

| note4 = Ne smeshno, "Not Funny"

| length4 = 3:52

| title5 = Ответа нет

| note5 = Otveta net, "No Answer"

| length5 = 4:02

| title6 = Звезды

| note6 = Zvezdy, "Stars"

| length6 = 3:46

| title7 = Удалил твой номер

| note7 = Udalil tvoy nomer, "Deleted Your Number"

| length7 = 5:10

| title8 = Ленинградский блюз

| note8 = Leningradskiy blyuz, "Leningrad Blues"

| length8 = 4:00

| title9 = Любить и выполнять

| note9 = Lyubit' i vypolnyat', "To Love and Fulfill"

| length9 = 5:26

| all_writing =

}}

Personnel adapted from album liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title=Monument|others=Molchat Doma|year=2020|type=vinyl sleeve|publisher=Sacred Bones Records|id=SBR-262}}

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Molchat Doma

• Egor Shkutko – vocals
• Roman Komogortsev – guitar, lead synthesizer, drum machine programming, mixing, recording engineer, mastering, arrangements
• Pavel Kozlov – bass guitar, synthesizer

Other personnel

• Kanaplev-Leydik – photography
• Molchat Doma – cover art concept
• Andrey Yakovlev – cover art design

{{col-2}}

Equipment

• Korg Mono/Poly
• Korg Polysix
• LEL-0041
• Linn LM-1 (samples only)
• Minimoog Model D
• Roland Alpha Juno-2
• Roland Juno-106
• Roland JX-3P
• Yamaha DX7

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Notes

{{Notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}

• {{Discogs master|1839015|name=Monument}}
• [https://open.spotify.com/album/48XbS5emhKTYTw7YAiqUKL Monument] (Adobe Flash) at Spotify (streamed copy where licensed)

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Category:2020 albums

Category:Molchat Doma albums

Category:Russian-language albums

Category:Sacred Bones Records albums