Vtoroi Ka are a genre-hopping duo from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Formed in 2017 by old school friends Ilya and Sultan, they reached underground success with their first two studio albums (the hip-hop oriented Dependence Day [2020] and more eclectic Serial [2022]); but it was their slick Baxter Dury-esque take on post-punk that sent them viral. After the release of singles from their third album, Piggy Ride (2024), their following exploded to more than 200.000 monthly listeners on Spotify in less than a year. Their fanbase is largely in Central Asia, Russia and countries with Russian speaking communities, but increasingly they’re earning wider international success thanks to their enveloping vibe. Key to their pan-national appeal is combining musical talent with an ability to portray their irreverent personalities on camera. The sharp-humoured music videos and the tongue-in-cheek promos they do on social media are equally as sensational as their endlessly inventive music. Vtoroi Ka’s commitment to the Kyrgyzstani capital, where they were raised, is key here, too. In contrast to a lot of budding production duos vying for space at the forefront of the music business, they aren’t trying to pose in the major metropoles, but film their music videos in mountainous Bishkek and do an artful job of being their authentic selves and portraying their vibrant corner of the world with seductive charm.
Vtoroi Ka’s outlier charisma as people translates in terms of their every step as musicians. It would have been the easy thing to do – create a second post-punk album as it was so successful – but they defy categorization with their latest release. With the PO GUBE EP, Sultan and Ilya have made a bombastic, rave-centric record with intricate beats with irresistible hooks. At the heart of every song – but especially new single and title track ‘Po Gube’ – is an ear for pop and its freewheeling surges of emotion. If the Hacienda was still going, they would be giving Vtoroi Ka a residency for the murky, hard-hitting ecstasy that they convey. Of their musical manifesto, Vtoroi Ka state the following: “Po Gube conveys the spirit of the city at night. Its temptations; its dark side. It’s a sonic dystopia…there is no meaning… only sound, money, instincts and decay…”
In 2025, for the first time in their history, Vtoroi Ka played in the West at some of the iconic venues including Lido (Berlin), ARCHA+ (Prague), Petit Bain (Paris), Le Botanique (Brussels), Commissary (Heidelberg) and Iceland Airwaves festival.
In 2026 Vtoroi Ka are again on the road presenting their new album at Reeperbahn festival in Hamburg and venues across Europe.
With the momentum building as it is, it won’t be long before Vtoroi Ka are the name at the tip of the tongue of your cooler best friend’s lips.
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