Gruppa krovi
album by Kino

Gruppa krovi (Russian: Группа крови, lit. 'Blood type' [ˈɡrupːə ˈkrovʲɪ]) is the fifth studio album by Soviet post-punk band Kino, first released in 1988. Released at the height of Perestroika and Glasnost, together with a crime thriller titled The Needle released in the same year starring lead vocalist Viktor Tsoi, it would go on to be the band's most popular album both inside and eventually outside the Soviet Union, with songs from the album, including the title track, commonly being listed among top 100 lists of Russian music.
Work on the album began in 1987. Most of the recording took place at Georgy Guryanov's apartment, and was completed at the studio of Alexey Vishnya. The sound of the recording is overstated compared to the albums, thanks to the use of modern reverb in the studio.
The album was highly praised by critics upon release and continues to be considered a notable event in the history of Russian music. In 1999, Nashe Radio published list of "100 Best Songs of Russian Rock in the 20th Century", including several songs from this album and giving the song "Blood Type" the first place.
Background
At the end of 1985, bass player of the group Alexander Titov, who was also a member of Aquarium, discovered that it was difficult to work with 2 bands at the same time, and consequently left Kino in favour of Aquarium. The remaining musicians rarely commented on Titov's departure, considering it to be a betrayal to some extent. According to Kino drummer Georgy Guryanov, Titov did not fit into their team and always considered himself a member of Aquarium, working with Tsoi's band only as a guest musician.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Gruppa krovi” is album by Kino. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Gruppa, krovi and album, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “album by Kino” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Reception evidence should be dated and situated: later canonical status may differ sharply from the work’s initial circulation. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 20, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2725250. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1988, 1987, 1999 and 1985.
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This entry incorporates text from “Gruppa krovi” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.