Tehnoloogiline Paike is an experimental electronic pop group from Estonia, with the notable credit under its belt as the 2012 “Album of the Year” award recipient from the Estonia Music Awards. Their third release is a 7 track LP entitled “Technological Sun,” a translation of the band’s name.
Formed by Evar Anvelt in 2004, the band’s sound is entirely entrenched in the world of electro pop. There is little attempt to blend elements of R’n’B or Rock, or other genre that utilizes a standard verse, chorus, verse structure. For the most part they rely on the drawn-out and ambient sound prevalent in much instrumental electronic music. Even the songs with vocal lines, such as “Break It,” “So Many Days,” and “If I Just Die,” are couched in layers of atmospheric instrumentation that leads to an average song runtime of around 6 minutes.
Their sound within the broad and inclusive genre of electronic music is bright and synthesized. Multiple synthesizers play overlapping melodies, staying almost entirely in the Major scale, which creates an up-beat mood, even when the tempo is slow and the vibe, mellow. There are no dissonant juxtapositions of minor notes to create a break in the uniform and uplifting intention of the album, which would be understandable considering the title and lyrics to many of the songs. To better understand this is to learn a little about the group and process that created the album.
“Technological Sun” is the culmination of four years of composing in which the principal songwriter, Evar Anvelt, experienced a bout of depression. The songs on the album are expressive of a relief and gratefulness to have survived and a looking forward to what’s to come. For this reason, despite the sparseness of lyrics, they are integral to appreciating the songs, even if the heavily accented English was a little distracting at first.
Lyrical content is also why it would be a stretch to consider Tehnoloogiline Paike EDM. Some songs are upbeat enough to dance to, but they hardly provide the bass heavy beat that pulls you by the groin. Many of the songs are atmospheric enough to serve as a soundtrack for you to freely float around the dance floor, but just as quickly you’d be snapped out of your trance by lyrics that aren’t subservient to the music. In short Tehnoloogiline Paike is that uncommon electronic pop group whose music you actually have to listen to in order to appreciate.
