Tag: estonia

Pia Fraus Share Fog on the Hills

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Our good friends over in Estona, Pia Fraus, are prepping for the release of their brand new record Evening Colours, and with the release a month away they offer another single to dive into. There’s always been this textured pop feel to the band’s craft, but it feels as if they’ve landed on their own musical planet. The rhythm section is moving quick here, it’s snappy and sharp, rolling when necessary, but that works in contrast to the wash on the front of the mix, which, dare I say, sounds a bit like a creeping fog rolling over the tune. To me, it feels as if they band are operating on a Stereolab adjacent plane, delving a bit more into the atmospheric spots. Striking piece I might say; the new LP is out on June 28th via Seksound!

Pia Fraus Return with French Exit Single

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A few years have passed since we last heard from Estonia’s Pia Fraus, but rest assured, the band are never far from my mind. So, when I heard they had landed on a new single, I was ready to charge in and turn it up; I was greeted with this blossoming warmth, and a calm wash of melody that warmed the soul. Hints of the band’s noisier side still lurk just beneath the surface, but they seem to have discovered their perfect balance, allowing the cavernous feel to bubble beneath so the song has more room to breathe. And it does so here, with the coolness of the vocals cruising through til the end where the song opens up for a guitar line to sort of dance and twirl its way to the song’s close. Here’s to hoping there’s more on the horizon!

Dreamy Piece from Imandra Lake

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It’s been quite awhile since we’ve heard from Imandra Lake, with the band last releasing new music in 2015. But, there’s a brand new track to open your day here, and in perfect fashion, it’s like rubbing the sleep from your eyes and you adjust to the sunlight creeping in your window. The song moves slowly, with drum work put down by John McIntire of Tortoise, while Rein and Eve texture the song with dreamy vocal notes that float through the tune like wispy clouds on a windy day. Listening closely, you can hear the song elevate to these bright moments, providing contrast to the heavier tones that adorn the majority of the track. It’s available via Seksound!

Pia Fraus Announce Empty Parks

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In late November we brought you a fresh track from our favorite Estonians, Pia Fraus; and while we were gone, the band shared another great track from their forthcoming Empty Parks LP. While there’s definitely a frayed fuzz to this tune, the song’s natural propulsion via the rhythm section seems to obscure that factor, building on the toe-tapping joy of pop music. Eve joins Rein on the vocals for this number, melding their voices harmoniously, which allows them to hone in on their melodic tendencies, maximizing the emotional attraction we all seek in our pop tunes. Empty Parks will be released on January 20th via Seksound Record Label.

Pia Fraus Share Hidden Parks

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I was really blown away by 2017’s Field Ceremony (Shelflife), the last long player from Estonian outfit Pia Fraus. Since then, they’ve slowly begun to round out the noisier bits into this really beautiful dream pop; it’s the sort that takes all these little atmospheric layers and bundles them together in tiny little pop nuggets. For instance, the vocals almost seem to match, and then again they almost don’t; they seem like these ethereal echoes dancing around one another, which works sublimely with the feathery jangle of the guitars. As I’m writing this, the weather’s damp and rainy, and nothing else seems more fitting than this tune. The band have a new 5 track EP scheduled for early next year via Seksound, but in the meantime, head to their site and hear some remixes of this single!

Estonian Dreampop from Bizarre

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Estonia is probably the last place you think of when the topic of dreampop/shoegaze emerges. But, the country boasts Pia Fraus, although before that, they were part of Bizarre. Our first experience with the group, and for many of you, is this subdued number, dominated by the perfect blend of male/female vocal parts. The background fills with guitar chords wandering through the landscape of simple percussive rhythms; it crafts this beautiful realm where you’re free to completely lose yourself in the melody of the track. It’s impressive to see that these recordings were out there in the late 90s, clearly a precursor to a lot of the current vibes going about. Necro will be released on June 4th via Seksound/Darla.

Premiere: New Music from Erki Parnoja

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Lately, my musical tastes have been looking for a journey, and this brand new track from Estonia’s Erki Parnoja is perfect. The song features this grooving bit of instrumental guitar maneuvering, with just a faint hint at vocals living occasionally underneath. But, for me, the special part of the tune lives in the middle where the guitars are paused and an ambient bit of atmospherics works its way through your speakers. It has the perfect cinematic world built in, which goes great with the accompanying video that Erki has put together illustrating how he came about creating the album art for his follow-up to the Himmelbjerget EP. Listen and love my friends.

Dreamy Number from Picnic

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477360_391320580907817_921495727_oMonday’s are always the hardest to get back into the swing of things, right? Well, I think this tune from Picnic will definitely help ease you into the work week after a long weekend.  The group has recently released their album The Weather’s Fine via Shelflife Records, so you know you can count on the quality of the release.  For the most part, the music seems to trickle politely, though there’s a few moments when the instrumentation takes a heavy-handed turn…you’ll have to listen to find it.  If you’re looking for something to help your escape the day, then come no further than this gem.

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