[spectre] PARASOL ELEKTRONICZNY. RUMOURS FROM THE EASTERN UNDERGROUND #1. Estonia. By Felix Kubin

[Radio Web MACBA]

PARASOL ELEKTRONICZNY. RUMOURS FROM THE EASTERN UNDERGROUND #1. Estonia.

In PARASOL ELEKTRONICZNY. RUMOURS FROM THE EASTERN UNDERGROUND, Felix
Kubinleads us on a tour of underground sound production in Eastern
Europe.

Link: http://bit.ly/hcQo5Q
MP3 file: http://bit.ly/b89uKZ
Related info: http://bit.ly/dzDQ2f

The first episode of the PARASOL ELEKTRONICZNY. RUMOURS FROM THE EASTERN
UNDERGROUND series is an exception in two regards. Firstly, as I happened to
be on a journey to Tallinn at that time, I conducted the interviews with the
artists myself. This task is usually carried out by our umbrella agents. The
second unusual feature is its duration. At over 80 minutes, it could almost
be considered a double feature. However, television pilot programs are often
longer than their follow-ups, and I don’t see any reason why this should not
apply to audio features too. Also, the Estonian episode is a good
introduction to the vibrancy and variety of the Eastern European underground
scene.

Each episode of the series features some recurring topics and sections: a
new national anthem composed by one of the featured artists, introductions
to instruments and favorite sounds, miniature audio diaries offering "a day
in the life" impressions, spoken word in the local language, descriptions of
some local psychological and economic survival tactics and discussions
around the "symptoms of the East".

"We don't know if we are East or West. We want to be more like a
Scandinavian country", says post-punk diva Kiwa, one of Estonia's most
famous underground artists, who still survives on a bare minimum. Indeed,
with its small Protestant population and outlandish language, Estonia has
much in common with Finland. Still, there is a strong connection to other
Eastern European countries, particularly in terms of their shared political
history. Artists and musicians like Kiwa, Taavi Tulev and Aivar Tõnso have
lived through the intense political changes that shook their country: from
Russian occupation to independence, democracy, capitalism and a right-wing
government. Other artists were too young to witness these changes.

The political and economic uncertainties have also led to the emergence of a
rich artistic resistance. In their brutal propaganda satire "Choose order",
the radical film group ESTO TV comments on the growing nationalism in
Estonia. The members of the group weren't afraid to infiltrate political
gatherings of the right-wing party, pretending to be their truest and most
radical followers.

Although artists like Andres Lõo and Kiwa laconically assert that there is
"no market for contemporary art", Estonia has a blossoming music scene that
is full of optimism. As most of the musicians don't have a job, issues
concerning crisis and security become irrelevant. Or, as the musician Rainer
Jancis put it: "We can lose our lives but we can't lose our jobs."

Felix Kubin, 2010.11.09


Featured artists

Aivar Tõnso
Katrin Essenson
Raul Keller
Kiwa
Sequoia (Lotte Jürjendal & Katrin Rätte)
Taavi Tulev
Andres Lõo
Tencu (Andres Tenusaar)
Rainer Jancis
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