After releasing a series of efforts on the Wuffel label, Estonian act
Ans.Andur jumped to the higher profile Seksound for 2005's
Tuled Peale, providing a handy showcase for their alternately breezy and melancholy way around guitar-driven indie pop. (The title itself is a phrase with a double meaning depending on tone -- "Are you coming on?" and "Turn on the lights!") Unless one knows Estonian further the meanings of the songs will be lost, but there's little mistaking the bright, immediate kick from the start with "Tuled Maha," where everything from summery post-
Smiths riffs to a delightful whistle-chorus riff add up to a welcome invitation. There's a brisk kick as well as a hint of Motorik on various songs that suggests efforts by the Flying Nun label at their very best; had someone like the
Jean-Paul Sartre Experience released such lovely songs as "Vaikus" or "Elu Tsitadellis" (the latter with a brilliant vocoder/synth break towards the end), nobody would have batted an eye. The amount of subtle detail that appears song for song is oftentimes marvelous, whether it's the delicate keyboards and point/counterpoint singing on "Sa Tuled Kevadel" or the shoegaze guitar overload exultance on "Meie Maja Umber." When brass suddenly appears on "Kargoembargo," a song that captures the open feeling of warm yet trebly European indie rock to a "T," it just seems so right. Vocals are split between Madis Aesma, who cuts through the mix a bit more, and Mihkel Kirss, who blends into the music a touch in contrast (as songs like "Puhuvad Tuuled" and "Raskem Kui..." show). It's a nice way to balance out competing impulses throughout the album, as a couple of guest appearances also demonstrate, and all in all, help to show that
Ans.Andur have a lot going on and more to offer in the near future.