Kuda Propalo Solnce? From basement to billboard
Their first concert took place in the basement of a
Christian organisation, their equipment ended up at a wedding in Andijan, and
their popularity began as a local meme. Yet by last year, a billboard with
their faces was displayed at Tashkent City Mall. It is one of the most
compelling and inspiring coming-of-age stories on the Tashkent music scene
today.
A Christian organisation and an Andijan wedding: the beginning
The idea of forming a band had long been in the mind of frontman Arslan Egamberdiev, but it only began to take shape in spring 2023. The first member, apart from Arslan himself, was his former classmate and ex-bassist Ratmir Safiullin. By that summer, the initial line-up had come together, under rather unusual circumstances.
We met at a Christian organisation, where we had all been lured under the pretext of an “open mic”. Of course, once we realised what was going on, we left, but we took with us people who later became very close to us.
Arslan Egamberdiev
The band’s first concert took place in the basement of that very Christian organisation in autumn 2023. Around eighty people tried to fit into a space of just thirty square metres. The musical equipment had been taken away at the last minute to an Andijan wedding, so a Chinese Bluetooth speaker had to stand in for it, allowing the audience to hear the band’s acoustic set. The beginning was as vivid and paradoxical as the band itself. Everything started in a basement, accompanied by the rattling sound of a small speaker.
If you want to find the sun, follow the flashlights: key tracks and the audience
The audience’s first reaction was rather restrained. The band gained some recognition in Tashkent, more as a local meme. The turning point came with the track Pod Utro (By Morning), released in April 2024. It was this song that finally brought them wider recognition. Among the early songs, Letom (In Summer) remains a staple at every concert, accompanied by the glow of dozens of phone flashlights.
From the album SO’M, the track Agarda Yillar is particularly notable as the band’s only song in Uzbek.
I actually enjoy writing in Uzbek and do it quite often, but it’s the only such track in our discography.I think that’s what makes it stand out. It’s about a guy who wanted to impress a girl but had neither the money nor the status, especially compared to her. I’d rather not draw parallels with my own past and leave that offstage.
Arslan Egamberdiev
Today, it is difficult to define the band’s audience. Their concerts attract both thirteen-year-olds and their parents, while their social media comments include people well over forty.
That makes me happy. I’ve always wanted to create music beyond genre, time and age.
Arslan Egamberdiev
Eclecticism and experimentation: what the band sounds like
Not lo-fi, not dream pop, not post-punk; Arslan prefers not to label the band’s music. It emerges from an inner sense of the moment, which is why it sounds so varied. Their work is full of experimentation, though the album SO'M might be the clearest example of their style.
Their influences are equally eclectic and sometimes paradoxical. In music, there is the atmospheric introspection of Papin Olimpos, Poshlye Molly, Mujuice and SEREBRO. In lyrics, you can sense the reflection and sharp cynicism of artists like Skriptonit and Slava KPSS.
If we take away the word ‘genre’, I’d describe our sound in three words: post-ironic, fresh, and full of feeling.
Arslan Egamberdiev
The band sets no taboos and approaches experimentation boldly. Arslan dreams of recording an English-language album and touring Western Europe and the United States with it.
That would be cool, considering I don’t speak English and don’t even listen to that kind of music. Who knows?
Arslan Egamberdiev
This line captures the spirit of the band: self-irony, boldness, and a disarming honesty reflected in their music.
Festivals, solo shows and their own studio: continuing the search
The year 2025 proved eventful. Performances on X-Factor with original material, participation in Yandex Music’s UCHQUN project, and a billboard in Tashkent City. One of the most important milestones was the opening of their own recording studio, SO'M Records.
Among their standout performances were the Big Summer Festival in Almaty and IOSIS Fest at the Turkistan concert hall. As for solo shows, their first sold-out concert at the former Bardak, now the Sahna club, remains a key memory.
Today, the search for the “missing sun” continues with two frontmen, Arslan and Emil, and drummer Yasya. As for the band’s name, it was chosen entirely by chance and carries no specific meaning. It replaced their previous name, Geometry.
When asked what matters more in the name, the loss of the sun or the search for it, Arslan answers:
We are a band that is constantly searching for ourselves and for what makes us happy.
Arslan Egamberdiev
No one in the band knows where the sun has gone. But perhaps, by listening to their music and joining the search, you might find your own answer.
Who knows?