Architecture in Helsinki are not your everyday indie-pop group. Sure, they are compared to Belle and Sebastian a lot, but these comparisons aren't very good. Sure, both bands boast a high number of members from varying genders. But where these two bands differ is that Belle and Sebastian just aren't good and Architecture in Helsinki, well, they just are.
Hailing from down under, Architecture in Helsinki (or AiH), consists of five guys and three girls. On Fingers Crossed, vocal melodies are thrown every which way with a male/female contrast. The music marches on with drum machines, tubas, melodicas, and even the kitchen sink. The best way to honestly describe it would be cute. Yes, cute. Every song gives you the feel of being five years old and that odd boy who played hopscotch with the girls while the guys played guns or something of that nature.
Out of the 14 tracks on the record, there are definitely no duds and quite a few standouts. "Scissor Paper Rock" is one of the first. Synthesizers back vocals that seem to float above the sounds of glockenspiels and bass lines, which plod along until carefully placed drums help the song find itself again. It seems very easy to get lost in this music, as it's the most non-threatening thing you may ever hear.
AiH shine brightest on "The Owls Go." If you could imagine the Animal Collective's spontaneity with the most endearing vocals (complete with the elementary playground back-ups, awww!) and an ambition that is rarely seen these days, you'd be at the destination AiH arrived at. The instrumentation is all over the place with everything in their repertoire put to the test. While there are some other stand out tracks on the record (most notably "Fumble," "It's Almost a Trap," and "City Calm Down"), the record as a whole is just really good.
Unfortuately for AiH, being from Australia might be the factor that holds them back, which is a tragedy really, considering they've put together a record that is more adorable than Michelle Tanner saying "You got it dude" 10,000 times over.
