Margenrot

Margenrot is the project of Siberian-born, Moscow-based musician Lusia Kazaryan-Topchyan, who used to sing and play keys in the iconic experimental darkwave band Fanny Kaplan. Her solo work explores more intriguing sonic territories, inspired as much by her Armenian roots as by the murky, yet stark, electronic rhythms of 1980s industrial music.

Margenrot’s debut album, Zangezur (2018), shares its name with a conflict-ridden historical region in south-east Armenia. The artist’s inspiration is rooted in the myth of the region’s name. According to Armenian folklore, ‘Zangezur’ came into use after Timur’s conquest, who conquered the Syunik province after a renegade Armenian prince sabotaged the area’s alarm bells. As the province fell, its inhabitants wondered why the bells never rang, giving birth to the phrase ‘the ring is in vain’, or ‘zange zur’ in Armenian.