Formed in Summer 2016, right the day Alan Vega died, PVC16 is a psychedelic/electropunk band based in Tallinn, Estonia, made up of two Russian poets, Daniil Popov and Ilya Bogatyrev, and one American, Steve Vanoni, who occasionally plays sax on records and tours.
Through obscene repetitive lyrics, guitar noise, wild saxophone improvisations, classic Roland TR-808 drum machine, PVC16 have released three full-length albums so far, highly influenced by early 80s New York’s no wave scene.
The brand new single “The Man Dressed in PVC” have just been dropped via their own independent label Bad Zerkalo, along with the accompanying video directed and produced by Viktoria Martjanova.
Tapping beats, interspersed by sparse xylophone-sounding hypnotic notes, march and rattle down a deep buzzing bassline, as piercing distorted guitar wails resound and creep atop the unsteady static echo bouncing intense bipolar saxophone reverberations into manic melodies interspersed with irate, anxiously screeching male vocals lost in repressed sexual energy released as shocked abrasive howls.
Character-driven lyrics take the form of a “Space Bitch” drawn from 1970s American sci-fi and explores the idea of sexuality supplanted from public consciousness in relation to power and those forced to obey this hierarchy. “Obey the senior in rank” implies the initial subordination to an abstract authority, while the PVC costume emphasizes the unavoidable, at times awkward, subconscious sexual side of the relationship.
Retro video bursts in muted psychedelic hues cast over a sexy shadow dancing silhouette amid outstretched legs floating weightlessly like a signature 007 intro, complete with a red spy phone, peephole cut-out view, and groovy dancing set against a silky backdrop alit in blow bubbles, jello shots, and cool vintage fashion.
Androgynously styled in an asymmetrical bob, deep aqua eyeshadow, and of course, “The Man Dressed in PVC,” to emphasize the subconscious sexual side of a working relationship, which in the daily work of a super agent seems to be invisible. Carefree overindulgence spreads wickedly throughout the Saturnalia concept creating a teasing, playful mood to symbolize the abolition of customs, the restoration of chaos, and the reunion of opposites.
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