ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI [18:07:07] WRITING BY CORESPONDENCE Stability is a luxury rarely found in the music industry. For indie darlings Architecture In Helsinki one would assume two highly successful albums and unbridled worldwide acclaim would result in some level of certainty. Yet even after the completion of their third album, several question marks still hung around the Melbourne six-piece. In many ways the instability was self-imposed. Whilst they completed the album in January, it has been an exhausting seven months to get to this point. On the eve of the release of 'Places Like This', Cameron Adams reveals the reasons behind the album's delay. "We didn't have a label," states Adams simply. "We wanted a new label, we were looking around for new people to put the record out - that was our own doing." The recent hindrance is a prime example of the high level of control the band reserves with their music. Whilst they have been presented with several opportunities to take an easier road, their endeavour to control all facets of their output hasn't yielded. "It's funny, there's been times when we could really relinquish control of what we do," explains Bird. "I think we're all too into being apart of that creative process to just let it go. It probably means we do a lot more work that we have to, but it means that everything we do we're really happy with." No more is that control evident than in the band's artwork. With most of the bands members attending art school at some point, it understandably plays a major role in the band's image - and to great effect. As Cameron reveals, it's an aspect of AiH that is of strong significance. "For me the artwork, the visual representation of the band is as important as the music," he reveals. "When a band is amazing in all those ways it just really adds to the experience. There are a lot of bands that through history have been really inspirational in that respect." Indeed this latest offering from AiH marks a different band than the one that burst onto the national scene some four-odd years ago. Aside from the label changes, they come into this release with a reduced line-up - two of the band members having left due to 'creative differences'. Whilst their roster has dropped from eight to six, Cameron attests that there has been no reduction in the group's sound. "It's not feeling emptier in any way," he states. "If anything it feels fuller because everyone has stepped up. The way we play is different now, songs are very different, and in a way it's filled out a lot of holes that there were in the way we played." It's easy to see how such a seemingly contradictory statement could be true. AiH have a strong reputation for swapping and changing instruments mid-performance, with the multi-talented bunch rotating duties amongst the members. It's a technique that allows the band to open their sound envelope past the usual restrictions found amongst standard guitar/ bass/drums ensembles. Adding to the band's seemingly haphazard approach to the creative process, several members have relocated to different ports around the world. "I live in New York, Sam [Perry] lives in Brazil, and Kellie [Sutherland] is kind of living in San Francisco," explains Bird. The separation saw 'Places Like This' written with the members living oceans apart, with the album coming together across the internet. "It was actually really awesome, we were writing everything by email; talking a lot on instant message," reveals Bird. "In some weird way it was a lot easier to do that - I would put ideas to the group and people would chuck in their ideas, and everyone would get a chance to do things. "In a way it has removed the weird ego of the creative process, so it was awesome." Nate Shea Architecture in Helsinki launch their new album at The Met on Wednesday July 25. 'Places Like This' is out Saturday July 28 through Scotland Yard / Shock. back to top ^

BACK TO ARCHIVED INTERVIEWS