On their previous album, 2022’s Solidaritine, Gogol Bordello shifted more towards a hardcore punk sound, driven by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 2026 doesn’t offer much in the way of hope on that front, but the band has moved back to their wide-open, global music influences, delivering tunes that mash up multiple genres and layers of musicality on We Mean It, Man!
For Solidaritine, Eugene Hütz worked with NYHC legend Walter Schreifels (Gorilla Biscuits, Quicksand) on production duties to tighten the focus. This go-around, he brought on board both Nick Launay (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Amyl & The Sniffers, IDLES) and Adam “Atom” Greenspan (Amyl & The Sniffers, IDLES) to broaden the sound.
The excellent opening title track begins with…