Post-Rock: Велосипед до Токио - Мрак рассеется, а солнце будет согревать наши лица (2022)

79 / 100

This EP stands out as a powerful emotional journey in the DIY post-rock scene. Its ability to move listeners with minimal instrumentation demonstrates strong songwriting and vision. 

Велосипед до Токио (Cycling to Tokyo) is a DIY project by Slava Kotovsky based in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The project focuses on instrumental post-rock with elements of blackgaze, post-metal, and midwest emo. Мрак рассеется, а солнце будет согревать наши лица became an EP/single released in 2022, containing two main tracks: “Мрак” and “Но Мрак рассеется, а солнце будет согревать наши лица.”

This release is no different from others in the sense that it conveys its message directly through the titles and musical character. Translated, the EP’s title means “Darkness will fade, and the sun will warm our faces.” It’s divided into two songs. “Мрак” carries a dark, slightly melancholic atmosphere true to its name, leaning toward post-rock/metal influenced by blackgaze/post-black metal guitar picking at a moderate tempo. The outro of the first track transitions into the second song, although there’s nearly a 10-second gap of silence in between.

The dark atmosphere still lingers in the second track, with bursts of abrasive distorted guitars between 00:26–00:35, before giving way to brighter, more emotional guitar melodies from 01:08 until the end. It feels like a joyful cry after overcoming a dark period, finally embraced by the warmth of sunlight. In the end, I could feel clearer emotions in this track—so much that I almost cried while writing this review—even though there are no additional instruments used.

In conclusion, Велосипед до Токио successfully delivers representative post-rock with quality output despite being DIY, and it’s clear the second track is going straight into my favorites playlist. This is also recommended for fans of emotional post-rock such as God is an Astronaut, Moonlit Sailor, and others.