Blankenberge – Decisions
Release Date: July 25, 2025
Origin: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Genres: Dream Pop, Shoegaze, Post-Rock
Personnel:
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Yana Guselnikova – Vocals
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Daniil Levshin – Guitar, Synth
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Dmitriy Marakov – Bass
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Sergey Vorontsov – Drums
Recorded by: Mikhail Kurochkin, Ilya Lukashev, Kosta Ranđelović
Mixed and Mastered by: Vladimir Nosyrev
With Decisions, Russian dream pop and shoegaze mainstays Blankenberge return with a work of stunning depth and clarity. The Saint Petersburg-based quartet expands their already rich palette with an album that is both immersive and emotionally charged — a luminous journey through texture, mood, and memory.
True to their established sound, Decisions balances lush, cinematic layers with an undercurrent of emotional gravity. Yana Guselnikova’s airy, almost ghostlike vocals drift through a haze of guitar swells and synth washes, sculpted with care by guitarist Daniil Levshin. The rhythm section — Dmitriy Marakov on bass and Sergey Vorontsov on drums — remains fluid yet firm, giving the album both its propulsion and its pulse.
The production is intricate and spacious, handled across sessions by Mikhail Kurochkin, Ilya Lukashev, and Kosta Ranđelović, with mastering by Vladimir Nosyrev. The result is a sonic field where no element overwhelms the others — the record breathes, glows, and aches in equal measure.
What sets Decisions apart is its emotional maturity. The title itself speaks volumes: each song feels like it’s grappling with choice, longing, loss, or quiet resolution. There is a tension between stillness and movement, between resignation and hope. Blankenberge doesn’t just make shoegaze — they make shoegaze that feels alive, aware, and unafraid of vulnerability.
With Decisions, Blankenberge offers not only another beautifully crafted addition to the modern shoegaze canon but a record that feels timeless in its introspection. It’s a band at full stride — confident, contemplative, and sonically radiant.
© Thusblog
