Fingers Crossed - Architecture In Helsinki

...from Australia. Their debut album, Fingers Crossed, showcases their primary draw; their ability to take the essence of a big-band piece and boil it down and make it sound like a group of overexcited preschoolers have got their hands on it. The arrangements are careful, focused, but sound as if they're flying all over the place. They make big music sound smaller, more friendly, less imposing, and they manage to make it more fun than it's ever been ...
...on the basis of being a folk-punk band, yet after visiting the US lead singer Cameron Bird decided to change tack completely. They moved towards a happier sound, with shorter songs and more emphasis on melody, the idea being that they could use the tunes to hide the darker lyrical content of the music they were making.

That was when there were only three members of the band. Cut to the completion of this album, and five more people ... more

Architecture in Helsinki are a toy instrument toting, highly melodic group from Australia. Their debut album, Fingers Crossed, showcases their primary draw; their ability to take the essence of a big-band piece and boil it down and make it sound like a group of overexcited preschoolers have got their hands on it. The arrangements are careful, focused, but sound as if they're flying all over the place. They make big music sound smaller, more friendly, less imposing, and they manage to make it more fun than it's ever been before. Made up of eight Australians, the band were formed on the basis of being a folk-punk band, yet after visiting the US lead singer Cameron Bird decided to change tack completely. They moved towards a happier sound, with shorter songs and more emphasis on melody, the idea being that they could use the tunes to hide the darker lyrical content of the music they were making.

That was when there were only three members of the band. Cut to the completion of this album, and five more people have been recruited. The key to the sound of Architecture in Helsinki is that essentially their music is basic. They stray across the side of twee without ever falling into Belle and Sebastian's territory, and if their music were to be summed up in one word, it'd be… whimsical. It's the sound of a kids TV show, playing while the lead character (a one-eared dog with orange fur) runs down a field of inexplicably purple grass, chasing butterflies. Their music is naturally rather eccentric, but in an endearing sort of way. The second album is even further removed from reality, but this album was where it all began for the Octet.

There are four songs which are obvious standouts on the album; the baffling 'The Owls Go', the trampling 'Scissor Paper Rock', the bumping brassware of 'Fumble' and the restless 'City Calm Down'. These are the songs which balance the album out, and showcase the band as the height of their powers. In particular 'City Calm Down' is a beautiful piece, slowed down to a shuffle, with the vocals taking their turn in the spotlight against a dazzlingly pretty flute piece. The song sounds like a comedown from a heavy night before, and contains one of the most memorable melodies of the album, an achievement in itself when you consider the up-tempo but downbeat 'Souvenirs', the second song on the album but the first to contain any lyrics. There are two singers in the band, Cameron Bird (a bloke) and Kellie Sutherland (a girl), and they tend to mix their vocals throughout, with one singing verses and one singing choruses, or both joining to harmonise.

The vocals are what will make or break your opinion on Architecture in Helsinki. Both singers use a fluttery vocal style, keeping just away from being falsetto, instead sounding more like a breathless gasp of awe. Bird in particular sounds very surprising, unlike any singer I can think of except Sufjan when he's at his most frail. Their voices are a vital part of the music, though, and the innocence they propel when singing songs like 'Imaginary Ordinary' or 'Where You've Been Hiding' is essential in the flow and magic the songs contain. The vocals don't change throughout; there is no rock track here, everything is just calm, melodic, and thoughtful.

With the possible exception of 'The Owls Go', one of the standout tracks of the album, if not AiH's career. "4321" is whispered into your ear before the song takes off on a guitar sound, with shakers and bubbling noises, clackers and handclaps variously employed in the background. The song has such an up-beat feel to it, with the two singers joining together in such a graceful manner, you'll forgive the fact it sounds a little like a children's choir at times. As does 'Scissor Paper Rock', which carries itself on a dinky little keyboard line and some woodwind, but only truly stands up until Bird takes over vocal duties during the chorus. However AiH aren't just about vocals, as the shimmering opening piece 'One Heavy February' proves. Based around a simple keyboard part, it grows into a funky monster over growling synths and well-timed handclaps, it's a shame it only lasts for a minute. The second instrumental, 'Summer 2008' doesn't fare as well in comparison, however, sounding a little too contrived in it's Christmassy feel.

'Fumble' is another instant joy, a song which bounces along on quick blasts of a tuba and other assorted pieces of brass. It's a shame then, that a guitar winds in halfway through and changes the flow of the song, with the ending an instrumental rather than vocal piece. There are other pieces which don't flow as well as these pieces such as 'It's Almost a Trap', which shoots itself in the foot by having a mouthful of a title for the singers to get round every time the chorus pops up, and 'To and Fro', which lumbers around without leaving much of an impact. Yet these missteps are instantly forgotten by the time the final few songs creep round, with a strong end which includes 'Kindling', a lost Coldplay song and 'Like a Call', my personal favourite song off the album, which sounds like a midnight drive round the coast. The song masks the tragedy-driven lyrics, which are throughout the album consistently strong and in-keeping with the mood of the album. Come the end of the album with the folk-epic 'Vanishing', which builds up and up like nobody's business, you'll already have the album set up again, ready to repeat the journey.

It's a mesmerising selection of songs, perfectly stacked together. Next time you go to see a children's nativity, you'll wonder why they couldn't just come up with something like this. It's an acquired taste, but something infinitely rewarding; an album to be played over and over again. 

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