Growing up, my Russian family's music influence consisted mainly of outdated 80's ballads, and the terribly imitated Russian pop equivalents. My perception of Russia's musical culture, albeit slightly marred by my early experience, has then always swayed toward the superficial and cheesy. That is, until I heard On-The-Go, the Moscow-based five-piece indie pop outfit. Offering up a sound that is both intimate and roaring all at once, you quickly forget where this band is from, and lose yourself in what they create. Such as their latest single featuring Naadia, "High".
Telling a playful story of "how we will [look into the] eyes of our children [someday] and see our reflections in them" (as described by Naadia's singer Nadezhda Gritskevich), this track finds its footing not only in the profound lyrics, but in the contemporary composition as well. Opening up with a harmonized acoustic guitar melody, it gently unfurls, letting Gritskevich's cherubic vocals climb on top of it with almost no effort at all. The cathartic chorus unleashes the band's full potential with a blend of percussion, impassioned keys, and those swift guitar strums. It's a track that can make you feel small next to its weighted lyrics, but alive and free with its deft production. A perfect way to encapsulate Russia's emerging indie sound, with On-The-Go proudly at its helm.
Connect with On-The-Go: Facebook|Twitter|Instagram|Spotify