Russian-born duo Gnoomes, made up of Sasha and Masha Piankova, have released a new album, Losey, reflecting on their forced departure from Russia and subsequent relocation to rural Slovenia. The ‘stargaze’ act, blending techno and shoegaze influences, describe the move as less a political choice than a psychological necessity, and say the isolation of their new surroundings helped ease years of background anxiety while reigniting their creative partnership.

The seven-track record was written and produced almost entirely within the couple's own home, with the sole outside contribution being drums recorded by former bandmate Pasha in Perm, Russia. Songs such as the title track and ‘Satan's Ball’ retain the band's familiar acid-tinged, gothic sound, while ‘Shakshuka and Pie’ draws on Paul McCartney's melodic style for a more abstract, dreamlike feel. The accompanying video for ‘Losey’, pieced together from years of iPhone footage, mirrors the album's themes of insomnia, memory and the hazy threshold between waking life and sleep.