Siinai (FI)

The instrumental rock band Siinai was born in the rehearsal room of four friends who loved motorik comps and space-reaching hooks in the early 2010s. Matti Ahopelto, Markus Joensuu, Risto Joensuu and Saku Kämäräinen recorded their first album Olympic Games (Splendour, 2011) with borrowed equipment and a budget of 20 euros. The album became a Nordic Music Prize nominee and Siinai became one of the most interesting bands in Finland.

Shortly after the release of their debut album, the band began an ongoing collaboration with Canadian indie legend Spencer Krug, known for bands such as Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown. The collaboration has resulted in the globally acclaimed albums Heartbreaking Bravery (Jagjaguwar, 2012) and My Best Human Face (Jagjaguwar, 2016), which was chosen as the album of the month by the British Guardian magazine. In the spirit of collaboration, Siinai toured North America and Europe several times.

The band’s lineup has stabilized as a seven-piece extended family. The folk-song-influenced sound art of percussionist Jussi Peevo, trumpeter Tapio Viitasaari, and Johanna Tarkkanen elevates the band’s sound to increasingly strange realms. The band, which has been quiet for the past few years, has gradually finalized its new album Tanssi I, which Soit Se Silti will release in January 2025. The album is Siinai’s own version of the psychedelic-inspired praise of dance and begins the band’s duology dealing with dance.