‘Tie Them to the Mast’: Helsinki Horizon’s Ode to Modernity’s Abyss

‘Tie Them to the Mast’ by Helsinki Horizon

Vor kurzem stießen wir bei unseren musikalischen Streifzügen durch die Welt der Indie-Musik auf eine skandinavische Alt-Rock-Gruppe namens Helsinki Horizon. Sie wurde bereits 2008 gegründet und 2012 komplettiert. Im Jahr 2021 veröffentlichten sie ihre von Kritikern gut aufgenommene Debüt-EP ‘Signal Flares’, die schon damals für Innovation und Einzigartigkeit bezüglich Klangelementen und Genremix stand. Jetzt, im Jahr 2024, sind sie auf dem Weg zurück und werden am Ende der Woche ihr lang erwartetes Album ‘Sirens’ auf den Markt bringen. Klanglich wie auch visuell soll es als Fortsetzung von ‘Signal Flares’ betrachtet werden, ist aber auch ein in sich geschlossenes Konzeptalbum. 

Der erste Track, oder auch Vorbote, ist ‘Tie them to the mast’. Der epischen Dichtung ‘Homers Odyssee’ gleich, erwartet den Hörer die Ästhetik und der Verfall der Moderne. Der Maskenball endet, und es kommt zur Demaskierung; der Tanz der Arroganz und Uneinsichtigkeit ist vorbei, und man blickt in den Abgrund des Niedergangs. 

Diese Szenerie wird gekonnt in Klanglandschaften umgesetzt, in denen die Protagonisten der Band genug Raum bekommen, um zu glänzen. Dieses Funkeln ist mehr als nur ein Schimmern; es verspricht den Auftakt zu einer Reise, die von Leidenschaft durchzogen ist. Diese düstere Passion, die ‘Tie them to the mast’ vermittelt, taucht tief in die Thematik des Albums ein und liefert, einem Teaser gleich, einen Vorgeschmack auf das Konzept. 

Da ich bereits die Möglichkeit hatte, das Album anzuhören, darf ich, ohne zu viel zu verraten, sagen: Es wird ein wilder und klanglich wie musikalisch grandioser Ritt. Es wird alles geboten, was das alternative Herz begehrt. Geprägt von einem Kaleidoskop an musikalischen Einflüssen, werden Genres fusioniert und zu neuem Leben erweckt. ‘Tie them to the mast’ ist nur der erste Schritt auf der Reise zu neuen Ufern, und die Identität, die jeder einzelne Track des Albums erhält, wird zu einem Puzzleteil des Ganzen. 

Bestehend aus Snorre, der Gitarren, Bass und Keyboards bedient, den Vocals von Öllegård, ViNd an der Gitarre und Geir am Schlagzeug, liefern Helsinki Horizon Großartiges ab. Am Ende bleibt nur zu sagen: Die Alt-Rock-Reise begann mit ‘Tie them to the mast’ und erfährt am Freitag seinen Höhepunkt.

‘Tie Them to the Mast’ by Helsinki Horizon [EN]

Recently, on our musical odyssey through the world of indie music, we encountered a Scandinavian alt-rock band named Helsinki Horizon. Founded in 2008 and completed in 2012, they released their critically acclaimed debut EP ‘Signal Flares’ in 2021, which was celebrated for its innovation and uniqueness in sound elements and genre fusion. Now, in 2024, they are making a comeback and will release their highly anticipated album ‘Sirens’ at the end of this week. Sonically and visually, it is meant to be seen as a continuation of ‘Signal Flares’, yet it also stands as a self-contained concept album. 

The first track, or harbinger, is ‘Tie them to the mast’. Like the epic poetry of Homer’s Odyssey, the listener is presented with the aesthetics and decay of modernity. The masquerade ends, and the unmasking begins; the dance of arrogance and obliviousness is over, and we gaze into the abyss of decline. This scene is skillfully translated into soundscapes where the band’s protagonists have ample space to shine. This sparkle is more than just a glimmer; it heralds the start of a journey infused with passion. This somber passion, conveyed by ‘Tie them to the mast’, delves deep into the album’s theme and offers a teaser-like taste of the concept. 

Having had the chance to preview the album, I can say, without revealing too much, that it will be a wild ride, both sonically and musically magnificent. It offers everything an alternative heart desires. Marked by a kaleidoscope of musical influences, genres are fused and brought to new life. ‘Tie them to the mast’ is just the first step on the journey to new horizons, and the identity that each track on the album acquires becomes a piece of the whole puzzle. 

Comprising Snorre on guitars, bass, and keyboards, Öllegård’s vocals, ViNd on guitar, and Geir on drums, Helsinki Horizon delivers something remarkable. In the end, all that remains to be said is: The alt-rock journey began with ‘Tie them to the mast’ and reaches its climax on Friday.

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How did Helsinki Horizon come to be, and what is the story behind your band name?

Helsinki Horizon started out with a song called Ættar back in 2008, which will be on the album coming out March 15 , Ættar is strongly inspired by family. The band name is misheard lyrics, where Snorre heard "Helsinki Horizon", but the lyrics acctually were "Hell sinking or rising".

What are the musical influences and inspirations that shape your sound and identity as a band?

Visual inspiration is the first thing that gets a song rolling. It can be words, a movie or even experiencing rough weather. Then the music and the song just grows from that. It's naive to believe that one has no inspirations. Maybe not concious, but there is for sure some M83, Mogwai, Ulver, C64 music and Max Richter in there.

What was the creative spark that led you to write your song, “Tie them to the mast”?

It was kind of a weird combination between reading up on Homer's Odyssey and watching some obscure 80's action movie, I think the movie might have been "The Thing".

Your upcoming album “Sirens” features your song “Tie them to the mast”, what kind of musical experience can our readers look forward to?

It's a ride, for sure, "Sirens" being, in all it's bombasity, a concept album based on Homer's Odyssey. When it comes to genre we fall between several proverbial "chairs", something we think is a good thing. 

The album is very cinematical, and ment to be heard from start to end. Every song has it's own original artwork, solidifying each song as a chapter. The album throws Rock, 80's vibes, metal, prog, mellowness and brutality all into the pot, but after you hear the complete thing once or twice, you will hear that everything fits together as a whole.

How do you approach the creative process as a band, do you have fixed roles or do you experiment and improvise until you find something amazing?

Snorre writes the compositions as of now. On the 2021 EP "Signal Flares", it was more rigid, but on "Sirens" everyone has been able to add their colour. Especially Öllegård, our singer. She is a creative force to be reckoned with. She smashes open creative doors with her mindblowing swag in meoldy, rythms and vocal arrangements.

Are you planning to perform live anytime soon, and if so, where can your fans catch your shows?

We are planning for it, and want to - for sure. We have some geographical hurdles to get together physivally, but if and when the right show comes along, we will negate those hurdles with ease.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of being an independent artist in today’s music industry?

With all the tools we have at our fingertips now, everyone can make an album and release a song. Which is great. The paradox is that we also might become part of the white noise that cancel each other out.

How do you manage your time and energy as an indie artist, and what are some of the challenges you face?

Not writing safe and niche focused music. Sometimes it's tempting to not focus so hard on the art part of our music and just shred and laugh. The trick is to incorporate that here and there with what earlier was the scariest thing about Helsinki Horizons music; mixing genres inside songs and recordings.

What are the next steps for Helsinki Horizon, and what are your goals as a band in 2024?

Get "Sirens" out so people can hear it, move on to the next recording, leaving the "Signal Flares" and "Sirens" visual design behind, which we have enjoyed playing around with. Snorre also makes the artwork, and he has been dreading the day he would be leaving the "view through a cows eye on the world" visual concept we have used for both these recordings behind. 

Also we wanna play live and get the album out on vinyl! If you want the album on vinyl, don't be afraid to contact us, that will just make it easier for us to push towards pressing it!

Photo Credits: Snorre Hovdal

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