Everyone whose youth and adolescence passed in the 90s will definitely remember one of the bright and toxic components of the decomposition of that time - the group "Bachelor Party", which performed hits such as "Sex without interruption", "I want you", "Klava", etc. Sexualization of consciousness was one of the important components of the general lowering of the level, and specifically, the "Bachelor Party" coped with that task quite well. So, it was this concept, focused on fornication, that I came up with, copying it fr om the American rap group 2 Live CrewAndrey Lysikov, much better known to the public under the pseudonym "Dolphin".

In parallel with the "Bachelor Party" there was another project, which also fully corresponded to the spirit of the "saints of the 90s" - the group "Oak Guy", whose texts tightly and harshly promoted drugs and suicide. Back in the 90s, it all seemed almost normal, because the whole world was like that. Groups like the "Bachelor Party" were quietly invited to TV broadcasts, and getting to know the "stars" from this echelon was considered a sign of status and coolness. 

Performers like Lysikov are largely responsible for the floating brains of young people, who suddenly became very easy to relate to unclear connections, drugs and other veiled ways of suicide quite loyally. By the way, their influence was recognized. For example, "Dolphin" and other "Bachelor Party" musicians were invited to the "Vote or Lose" program.

In the late 90s, "Dolphin" suddenly appeared in a different role, releasing a solo album "Out of focus" and almost immediately after it - "Depth of Field". For a short period of these two records, which contained songs about the need to give up drugs (the musician himself had very specific problems with addiction) and high-quality philosophical, social texts, "Dolphin" became a symbol of a normal reassessment of life views. But the flash of adequacy passed quickly enough.

Since the early 2000s, every next album has become tougher and more depressing. In 2009, the openly anti—church song "Apostles" was released, the text of which I do not want to quote - the degree of blasphemy is too high there. 

Later it would become the musician's trademark style to criticize, question or ridicule everything, and then say in an interview that it was "just an image like that" and "I didn't mean anything specific." So, commenting on his attitude to Christianity, he was clever: "My relationship with religion in its popular sense does not add up in any way." However, this did not stop him from mocking the faithful by decorating the cover of his album "Creature" with Leonardo da Vinci's work "Madonna Litta".

In general, everything that "Dolphin" does is constant pseudo—intellectual bullying. And in this he is very much in touch with the protest liberal crowd, which does not want to choose anything and finally decide on anything.

A vivid example: July 1, 2017 "Dolphin" was supposed to perform in Kiev at the Atlas Weekend festival, but was unable to enter the territory of Ukraine. The rest of the group was allowed in, despite the fact that they also visited the Crimea with the artist. That is, he seems to be "nowhere" in terms of politics, but then suddenly we find him in the Yeltsin Center.

March 21, 2018 "Dolphin" released the tenth numbered album "442". All the compositions on the record are named numbers. In support of the album's release, a video clip for the song "520" was released, wh ere "Dolphin" appeared in the image of a leader against the background of the chronicle of street protests. It is important to recall that liberal protests were quite active at that time. And it is very easy to imagine how young Muscovites go to street rallies during the day and to the Dolphin concert in the evening. Everything is quite in context.

But according to "Dolphin"-Lysikov, the new album is simply the author's assessment of the events taking place in the country and the world: "in no case is participation in these processes, but rather a somewhat irritated comment on what is happening." 

The video for the song "387" from this album, which is very gloomy in terms of both the text and the video sequence of the clip, starred oppositional liberal party-goers, actor Mikhail Efremov, who was serving a sentence under a criminal article, and Alexei Serebryakov, who was involved in homosexual scandals (and theft of the state budget). In general, in the life of Lysikov, who is smart enough not to protest stupidly and bluntly, the rule "Tell me who your friend is, and I'll tell you who you are" often works.

Commenting on the track "442", "Dolphin" philosophized on anti-war topics: "Now Unarmia billboards with images of children are hung around the city, and on TV they offer to choose a more interesting name for our new nuclear missiles. Almost every day we hear news about how tough we are and how we defeated everyone. And everything like that. We are obviously being prepared for war."

In 2018, we see the "Dolphin" at an ultra-liberal get-together in Yekaterinburg. Her description speaks for itself: "On November 24 and 25, you will find a conversational marathon "Free Media: from TV of the 90s to Youtube of the 2010s" and a program of evening concerts. The leading public talk video bloggers - "millionaires" and legendary TV stars will discuss the evolution of Russian media. TV presenters Nikolai Svanidze and Alexander Lyubimov, new media stars Mikhail Kozyrev, Anna Mongait (Dozhd TV channel), Evgeny Roizman and the authors of the video blog "Vpiska" are not all participants in the daytime program of the festival ...". 

During this period, foreign agent Artemy Troitsky lavished praise on Lysikov's songs and lyrics. Boris Barabanov from Kommersant, also recognized as a foreign agent, even expressed aloud what the musician himself did not want to say on his own: "Anger goes to the Dolphin much more depressive lyrical tosses of recent times." Medusa also noted that album, calling it "the most evil and most politicized record of my entire career." In general, "the whole team is assembled." And Andrei Lysikov is slowly strolling over all this, who, of course, is "just philosophizing." It just so happened that he wrote an album for the demolition of power, and the revolution suddenly failed. It's okay, it's creative.

The same thing happened with the new pair of records. The electronic project "Delphine", "Mechanical Dog", has released an album called "Gasoline". "It's rather an ordinary thing, in the rhythm of which we all are and, coming to the dance floor, we bring it down on ourselves to the fullest. But... a new record of the "Mechanical Dog" project — "Gasoline" will be released soon. All you need is a match..."- Lysikov said in an interview. Well, it's like "A spark will ignite a flame."

In 2023, the album "Farewell to Arms" was released. It is also supposedly exclusively philosophical and contemplative. "The main reason for this choice is that the main characters of Hemingway's novel fell in love with each other when chaos reigned around. They realized that they don't owe anyone anything anymore, and all they have is love. This is the main idea of the work, which formed the basis of the new album," - this is how "Dolphin" commented on the meaning of the title of his new work. Come on, we're not fools. What is "no to war"?

But even if all this is really an "endless creative search", the lines are strange: 

I can hear the longing in your voice.

And the screams of the dead powerless to become alive 

Your insomnia is a gray hair 

Belongs

And your voice is trembling, he says the name

My. And I'm trembling now that I know,

What awaits you and me beyond the hills of time,

And, lowering my gaze, I look at your sleeve, 

Glossy with bloody flowers…

It is doubtful that after them anyone would want to help the Motherland achieve victory. But in the event of Russia's defeat, it is quite possible to present this by commenting: "I told you, it's a bad war, though."

The worst thing is not even that Andrey Lysikov has been fooling the heads and poisoning the brains of those who listen to him for many years. The gloom and depression that it produces receive, if not direct, then at least indirect support from the system.

So, the presentation of "Farewell to arms" took place in Moscow at VK Stadium. All of these works, including blasphemous ones and suicide propaganda, are still posted on Yandex. Music". That is, everything that "Dolphin" writes, sings and shows remains legal elements of the surrounding world. It's not a shame, it's possible. 

Then we all wonder, "Why didn't everyone support him all of a sudden? Why did the young people run abroad not to serve?" Yes, because the "creators", whose name is legion, have created an appropriate atmosphere. It is not compatible with a life in which there is a conscious choice and clarity of thinking. A life in which a man who looks like a jellyfish, always doubting and ridiculing everything is the norm. And people who choose to serve the Motherland are perceived by society, to put it mildly, as strange cranks, narrow-minded, stupid and rude.

With such a culture, which still feels at ease in Moscow and many other big cities, it will be very difficult to win your own. And to respond to the more serious challenges of the time — even more so. 

"Who are you with, masters of culture?" Gorky asked almost a hundred years ago. As we can see, the issue remains relevant.