Light, upbeat and poppy, listening to Architecture In Helsinki perform live is like putting that first sip of a fizzy fountain drink up to your lips. (If you could picture it now: the Architecture In Helsinki soda pop would probably be pastel blue, with maybe a pastel pink foam on top, and Pop Rocks bubbling on the bottom. Pepsi, jump on this.)
We Americans often enjoy anything with novelty, and just as the accents and unique slang words of ladies and fellows of foreign lands often turn us on, we tend to appreciate their indie pop in the same way. Los Campesinos! does it for us England-style, and Architecture In Helsinki is the Australian equivalent. Like with many a sold-out show, the crowd at the Black Cat that night was giddy, sweaty and happy to be there.
With Architecture In Helsinki having multiple albums under their belt, fans old and new were able to delight in the songs they played. 2003’s Fingers Crossed and 2005’s In Case We Die definitely express the fizzy sound I mentioned above, but Places Like This and the band’s latest album, Moment Bends, have begun to develop a fuller, more developed sound for the quintet.
This new sound has a more deliberate electronica/house beat and dance vibe to it, which when combined with that down-under charm makes it easy to envision songs such as “Escapee” or “Contact High” being played in a trendy European discotheque, glow sticks and all. The band’s sticky stamina lasted for quite a long set and kept fans hopping and foot-tapping long into the night.
Opening for the band was Hooray For Earth, a New York synth-pop act that with a sound that was low and drone-y while at the same time beat-heavy and dance-able. As an opening act, they were a great choice, as their music complements the more mature house beat Architecture In Helsinki is moving towards.
With both acts now crossing back over the pond to begin an overseas tour, it felt good to know that overall this was a delightful performance that left fans happy and satisfied. Not as satisfied as I would be drinking an Architecture In Helsinki Pepsi though! (Really guys, I’m not letting this go…)
