GENRE; Contemporary Pop/ Dark-Pop/ Alternative Rock/ Rap Rock/ Cinematic/ Alternative Pop
RELEASE DATE; 06 February, 2026
RATING; 4/5
Zadykhayus by NETSKII is a bold introduction to what he defines as Symphonic Russian Pop, a cinematic hybrid that feels designed as much for the screen as for the stage. A participant of the Broadway Dreams Foundation, NETSKII approaches songwriting with theatrical instinct and emotional precision. The single unfolds like a short film, blending indie-tinged restraint with orchestral grandeur. From its first pulse, it’s clear this is not simply a pop track, it’s a carefully staged emotional reckoning.
Written at the Moscow Songwriting Camp 2024 by NETSKII and Vladislav Tyutyunnik, with lyrics co-crafted alongside poet Darya Shtykova, “Zadykhayus” (“Can’t Breathe”) confronts betrayal in its most suffocating form: when love has died, fidelity is broken, yet the person remains out of convenience. The production team, arranger Evgeny Binkevich and mix/master engineer Sergey “Kamaz” Komar—shape the track’s dramatic arc with meticulous detail. A real recorded heartbeat and the ticking of a clock anchor the verses, symbolizing emotional paralysis, before the chorus erupts into a soaring synth-wave climax that demands resolution: fight for love or let it go.
Influences echo subtly throughout. The emotional urgency of Alekseev, the melancholic sweep of Kodaline, the sleek minimalism of HURTS, and the raw vulnerability of Sleeping At Last are all felt in the tension between hushed confession and orchestral explosion. Yet NETSKII’s strained, sensitive vocal remains the focal point, aching but controlled, intimate yet cinematic.
Recorded at Dark Side Records in Moscow, known for hosting major Russian artists including Guf—the track was captured in just a few late-night takes, adding an unfiltered exhaustion that heightens its authenticity. As his first official label release with Druzhba Music, “Zadykhayus” marks a decisive step forward. It’s a song built for dramatic sync placements and for listeners who crave emotional honesty wrapped in orchestral intensity, a suffocating confession that ultimately breathes power into vulnerability.
