“Gain” by Veiila

When Veiila says that “our songs come from pain and despair,” it’s tempting to dismiss their claim as goth-y overwroughtness. But when you listen to their stark blend of dream pop, trip-hop, and darkwave, those words start to ring true. And when you consider that Vif Nüte and Bes Eirid are a band without a home, having left their native Russia in protest of the invasion of Ukraine, the sense of alienation that pervades their music becomes undeniable.

In other words, when Nüte sings “Another broken dream/One less, one more/What difference does it make to ones like us?” or “Can you find an answer/To my life’s confusion?/I’m so tired of being on the run” on their latest single, “Gain,” there’s nothing fake or overwrought about it. And the surrounding music, driven by Eirid’s darkly sinuous synth-work, only adds to the effect, with the result being a song that’s as stylish as it is existential.

Veiila’s upcoming album, We Gave the Future to the Winds, will be released in 2027.