Why Do Dreams Come? (Зачем Снятся Сны?) — Letov’s Psychedelic Reinvention

Vinyl record of 'Zachem snyatsya sny?' by Yegor Letov and Grazhdanskaya Oborona band, featuring psychedelic cover art and post-punk aesthetics

Egor Letov’s 'Zachem snyatsya sny?' (Зачем снятся сны (Why do dreams come?)) is a landmark album in Russian underground music, blending psychedelic rock, post-punk intensity, and deeply personal storytelling. Inspired by a transformative LSD experience, this 1994 release showcases Letov’s experimental approach, combining free improvisation with sharp, minimalist arrangements.

Egor Letov 'Zachem snyatsya sni' vinyl cover with playlist

The main album artwork picked by Letov is a stylised painting Edward Hicks ‘Noah's Ark’ (1846). We have a limited run of large (61x92 cm) posters with the album cover in an archival quality available for purchase.

 

GrOb album cover poster 'Зачем снятся. сны?'

Fans of Grazhdanskaya Oborona (Гражданская Оборона (Civil Defence)) and Egor i Opizdenevshie (Егор И Опизденевшие (Egor & The Fuckedups)) find the album both familiar and refreshingly innovative. It is highlighting Letov’s ability to turn introspection and inner turmoil into vibrant, memorable music.

Egor Letov 'Zachem snyatsya sni' cd cover with photo of the Grazhdanskaya Oborona band

After a long break, Egor Letov created the album Zachem snyatsya sny? under the profound influence of a personal LSD experience. According to Letov, this was his first bad trip, which shattered his long-held views and created a sense of complete hopelessness. He described it as:

“It wasn’t even depression, but a feeling of something utterly hopeless, when you suffocate just from your own opinions, from your completely entrenched points of view. And when all of that broke — it definitely blew some kind of cork, as if it rammed through me from the inside, a terrible fountain arose. I could only manage to record…”

 

Egor Letov 'Zachem snyatsya sni' cd cover with playlist1

Processing these experiences, Letov would walk alone through forests and other deserted places, recording new songs on a tape recorder.

Egor Letov & Grazhdanskaya Oborona album 'Zachem snyatsya sni' cd cover with band members in a forest

The result was a cycle of tracks more in line with his 1990 project Egor i Opizdenevshie than with Grazhdanskaya Oborona. However, during recording, the material was performed by Grazhdanskaya Oborona. Letov commented on this transformation:

“…it’s an album of Egor and Opizdenevshie, but during recording it turned out that the material was played and recorded by Grazhdanskaya Oborona in the most classic way. With all the characteristic elements, from free improvisation to harsh, demonstrative minimalism. It was initially intended to sound clean and transparent from start to finish, but overall it became quite dense and heavy.”

 

Egor Letov 'Zachem snyatsya sni' cd cover 2

The album was recorded quickly, echoing the pace of the group’s early work. It stands out for its positive tone and bright mood, while referencing Letov’s past work: the title connects to a track from the limited release Egor i Opizdenevshie — Psychedelia Tomorrow, it includes a cover of Oleg Lishchenko’s song “I Don’t Feel Like Myself” (Я чувствую себя не в своих штанах) and a new version of “Outside All Dimensions” (Снаружи всех измерений) from the first album Poganaya Molodyozh (Поганая Молодёжь).

Egor Letov 'Zachem snyatsya sni' cd cover 3
Letov considered Zachem snyatsya sny? one of his best works, noting that it was the first time he made something purely for himself, without attacking anyone in the lyrics. In an interview with Rolling Stone Russia, he reflected:

“All my recent journeys became transpersonal. This is something that cannot be expressed in words, and therefore cannot be shared or conveyed… I don’t even know what I’ll do next, because I cannot speak about it in words.”


Egor Letov 'Zachem snyatsya sni' cd cover 4
Zachem snyatsya sny? is an album about personal transformation, inner awakening, and Letov’s experimental, psychedelic reimagining of his music — combining a bright, uplifting mood with the dense, minimalist energy characteristic of Grazhdanskaya Oborona band.

Letov’s LSD trip inspired the album's artworks too. It has a rich cover design which makes it a worthy collectors piece.

If 'Why Do Dreams Come?' left its mark on you, consider carrying a piece of that legacy.

 

'Zachem snyatsya sni' Egor Letov album cover t-shirts
We’ve have a small run of the albums merch — T-shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts. Have yours while the stock lasts.