Vtoroi Ka

Hailing from Bishkek, Kazakhstan, right in the heart of Central Asia, Vtoroi Ka deliver muscular, grooving beats and rap lines worthy of an eloquent Mercedes dealer, whilst crafting songs with the swagger of a drunken sorcerer. The duo are currently revolutionising the musical landscape way beyond just their homeland. Formed back in the mid-2010s, the pair initially released a few tracks plus the EP ‘Iz Okna’ (2017), and shortly after almost broke up. However, the song ‘Reznitsam stalo tjaschelo’ brought the unexpected breakthrough in 2020. Since then, the two schoolmates have packed just about everything into their sound – from hip-hop and 2000s pop-rock to post-punk revival and indie alchemy – inspired by their finds while record-hunting and touring. The albums ‘Dependence Day’ (2020) and ‘Piggy Ride’ (2024) have long been acknowledged as Kyrgyz pop music classics thanks to their vibrant eclectic style and ruggedly polished production. Vtoroi Ka are constantly rejigging their sound though, experimenting and exploring with a voracious appetite for new ideas. Last year’s EP, Po Gube (2025), saw them venture into the realm of retrofuturistic electronica, and they’re finally performing in Hamburg for the first time this September.