Russian band January Blues on making post-punk’s first Ingush-language record

Who: An emerging post-punk band from Russia’s Republic of Ingushetia, January Blues consists of Ibragim Lyanov and Makka Amerkhanova. Based in the regional capital of Magas, the duo have just released their debut track and music video: “Ha Tshavekha So”, or “Call Me Home”. The song is the first ever post-punk record written in the Ingush language.

What: The first single from the band’s upcoming EP, “Ha Tshavekha So” is a strong and confident debut from the January Blues. Lyanov’s deep voice bounces against a melancholic, synth-infused post-punk beat. The lyrics capture the urge to leave home, and how it paradoxically coexists with the longing to come back: “My thoughts were eating me up inside / Whether I ran away or went back home.” Shot by director Muslim Sagov, the video follows a masked protagonist in his metaphorical search for peace and connection with others. The blue-tinted visuals reflect the pensive mood, as the protagonist makes his way through one desolate landscape after another.

What they say: “We wanted to write a song in our native language, even though no one has ever done anything like that within [the post-punk] genre. It was our goal: to bring something new into our culture and our music,” says Lyanov, the band’s frontman. “Young people speak their language less and less frequently, so while we wanted to create using our language, we did it in an area that is familiar to them, in order to popularise the language among our own generation, even if just a little.”

Why you should watch: “Ha Tshavekha So” has already garnered almost 9,000 views on YouTube — an impressive feat for newcomers in the music business. But even if we set aside the video’s historic cultural clout, the track still stands on its own thanks to the band’s talent and the quality of production. January Blues’ first single leaves listeners wanting more — even if that means waiting until the end of summer, when the band plans to release their EP.