From Tallinn, Estonia comes Tehnoloogiline Päike, an experimental, electronic pop duo.
Comprising Evar Anvelt and Mihkel Kõrvits, the band has released their third album, ‘Technological Sun’, which is a direct English translation of the band’s name. It features the vocals of Hannaliisa Uusma. ‘Technological Sun’ follows on from their previous albums, Kõige Pikem Päev (2011) and Abstraktsioonide Maal, from 2008.
‘Technological Sun’ has been described as more intense and less restrained than their earlier albums – indeed, there’s more than a hint of prog rock to this third release, with track two, ‘Breaking It’ reminds us a lot of YES, and early Genesis; third track, ‘So Many Days’ has a really discordant feel about it, but it’s nonetheless compelling, with a backmasked flavour, that harks back to Bowie’s Berlin trilogy.
Tehnoloogiline Päike formed in 2004 by Evar Anvelt, with Mihkel Kõrvits becoming more active from 2007, and Hannaliisa Uusma joining in 2015 to record ‘Technological Sun’. Hannaliisa is better known as the lead singer of Estonian pop group, HU?
‘Technological Sun’ is a 44 minute long album, is a glorious homage to what can be done with synths and analogue equipment. In 2012 the band won ‘Album of the Year’ in the Electronic Music Category at the Estonian Music Awards, and it seems likely that ‘Technological Sun’ could see them win in the same category this year.
Fifth song on the album, ‘Redemption’, is a beautiful whirl of synth rhythms and gossamer, dream pop vocals. Borrowing from German Dancecore bands, the stabbing synthesiser calls to mind the music of Kraftwerk.
‘Technological Sun’ has been categorised as ‘experimental’, ‘electronic’ and ‘pop’, and was recorded exclusively on analogue instruments and effect processors. It was released on 26 February, on CD and Vinyl, and can be bought from the band’s Bandcamp site. Find Tehnoloogiline Päike online on Facebook.
