Initial Thoughts

My first impression of Places Like This is that there is a raucous party tone to this album that, while present on their prior albums, is forefronted on this effort to a much greater extent. This notion extends beyond greater reliance on distorted, screamed vocals and uptempo electro funk to a richer concept. Architecture in Helsinki have created a cult of noisology. Bells, whistles, bleeps, bloops, shouts, horns, bubbles, fireworks, etc. To a certain extent, this is an album about noise. Criticism can obviously be levied at this concept. It's easy to think of these noises as distractions that an overzealous band couldn't bring themselves to cut, but I think that criticism misses the point. Even if it were true, it doesn't really matter. This is an album about being in love with noises! AiH is often accused of being saccharine and childlike, but it is that attitude that lets them get away with loving noises and sounds. That's as pure as music gets and it's a shame that we don't all take a little time to indulge in unfettered sound once in awhile.

Can you make the argument that AiH's devotion to sound occasionally damages the beautiful pop songs underlying everything? Definitely. Some shit gets fucked up. It happens. However, it's hard to fault them for that. They let their boundless imagination run wild and not everything works. Thats just how experimentation is, though. It would be disappointing to hear an album by AiH in which they have stopped trying new things, stopped loving noises. I'd rather they let things pick up speed and rattle out of control than pull over to the side of the road and check the tires. It's more fun that way.