Architecture in Helsinki rose from the ashes of the High School band of Cameron Bird, Jamie Mildren and Sam Perry. Bird started writing songs at the turn of the century and convinced Perry and Mildren to help him flesh out his first set for live performance. Bird urgently needed a name for the band, so, he circled some words in a copy of The Age newspaper and did some magnetic poetry. In mid 2000, Bird met Kellie Sutherland at a party, she volunteered her musical services to the band at first playing clarinet. By the time Bird met James Cecil, Gus Franklin, Isobel Knowles and Tara Shackell whilst studying at RMIT University later that year, the band was well and truly taking shape.
"Fingers Crossed" (2002-2004):
After many discarded recording sessions and countless shows at North Fitzroy's Empress Hotel, the band locked down in their home studios for the best part of 2002 to make their debut album. The vast majority of the songs were written by Bird the week he returned from an extended holiday in the Pacific Northwest. Arrangements and production were labored over by the band in myriad of locations in and around their home town of Melbourne. Trifekta Records signed the band and released the record in February 2003. It wasn't released in the U.S. until March 2004 on Bar-None Records.
"In Case We Die" (2004-2006):
The band and associates leased a giant garage space in Melbourne's East Brunswick to record their Sophomore record. Work began on the record in June 2004 and Bird and Cecil worked day and night for 5 months on the production, enlisting dozens of guests to play on the record. Songs were primarily composed in the studio with Bird acting as some sort of mad professor with inter-band chemistry. In November, Tony Espie was hired In a bid to tame the record at the mixing desk. The band fell in love with his mixing style and studio demeanor when he worked on 'Do The Whirlwind', the record's lead single. The record was released in February 2005 in Australia on the band's own Tailem Bend imprint. Bar None Records released it in April 2005. It was the bands first release in Europe coming out in July 2005 on Moshi Moshi Records. In mid 2006, the band released a remix album entitled 'We Died, They Remixed' which featured a collection of their friends and contemporaries re-interpreting the songs of 'In Case We Die', This included Hot Chip, YACHT, New Buffalo, Mocky, Dat Politics, DJ Mehdi, Safety Scissors and Qua.
"Places Like This" (2006-2007):
At the end of touring In Case We Die in April 2006, Isobel Knowles and Tara Shackell left the band citing 'creative differences'. Bird decided to move to New York City to write for the third Architecture in Helsinki record. He demoed the songs in an apartment in South Williamsburg and worked on arrangements with the rest of the band via email and instant messaging conversations. In September 2006, the band convened in Los Angeles to play the songs for the first time. After a week of jamming they headed out on tour in support of Brooklyn band, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, to road test the new songs. To coincide with the end of the tour the band booked studio time at Stay Gold in Brooklyn with Engineer Chris Coady. The basic tracks were laid in the Stay Gold sessions in order to capture the energy of the band hot on the heels of the 25 show tour. The session was deemed a success, so Coady flew to Sydney's BJB Studios in December 2006 to finish the record. Bird and Coady put the finishing touches on the record back in New York in January 2007. The first single, Heart It Races, was released in May 2007. The album was released worldwide in July 2007.
"Moment Bends" (2008-2011):
After a few years of relentless touring. The band, now a 5 piece after the departure of Cecil, reconvened in Melbourne and set about the process of making a new record at a pace that was conducive to quality not insanity. They rented a space in East Brunswick which they set about renovating to better resemble a functional recording space. A giant photo mural of Lindsey Buckingham was erected on the studio wall to oversee proceedings and act as an inspiration for the record. The studio was named Buckingham Palace and the project was given the working title 'Vision Revision'. Longtime collaborator Francois Tetaz was brought in as producer, a move that instantly allowed the group to focus more on songwriting and ideas. The first fruits of this new endeavor came in November 2008 in the form of 'That Beep', the band's most accessible and commercially successful release to date. Meanwhile, back at Buckingham Palace, Moment Bends was beginning to take shape. The band had Engineer and Auxiliary member, Haima Marriott, working around the clock for the best part of 18 months between touring and various trips into Inspiration Hiatus. The songs were much more detailed and focused, the band was said to have searched for it's essence. On January 31 2011, It was announced that 'Moment Bends' would finally see the light of day in April 2011, almost 4 years after the release of 'Places Like This'.
2014
AIH released the album "Now + 4EVA" on April 1, 2014. the most popular tracks from the album are "Dream a Little Crazy" (written by the band) and "When You Walk in the Room" (the Jackie DeShannon classic).
Tours:
The band have toured heavily throughout Australia, U.S.A., U.K. and Europe playing festivals such as Coachella, Sasquatch, Sound Relief, Big Day Out, SxSW, Primavera, GTM, Pukkelpop and Haldern.
Architecture in Helsinki have toured/played with - David Byrne, Dr Dog, Death Cab For Cutie, YACHT, The Go-Betweens, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Santigold, Glass Candy, The Presets, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Au Revoir Simone, Field Music, Lo Fi Fnk, Yo La Tengo, Polyphonic Spree and múm.
The band have be known to DJ regularly, supporting acts such as YACHT and Hot Chip, also throwing their own party called 'Eye Do' on New Year's Eve 2009 in Melbourne. They also curated a DJ stage at Laneway Festival in Australia in 2011.
Do The Whirlwind
Architecture in Helsinki Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your folks told me you should be left alone
On a mountaintop,
Knocking the aeroplanes down with stones
Do the whirlwind and carry the hope that stings all night long
Don't abandon him, 'cause he quivers when he hears your song
Believe me, it's safe to see
Plan to settle down
Over the moon under the sun
Do the whirlwind and shotgun the seat that beat, that beats,
Hanging on to the one you love,
To keep keepin', sleepin', dreamin' on
Folks given up under the quivers and lines
You do the whirlwind, don't abandon
Get a handle of yourself, son
Folks given up under the quivers and lines
You do the whirlwind, don't abandon
Get a handle of yourself, son
Folks given up under the quivers and lines
You do the whirlwind, don't abandon
Get a handle of yourself, son
Folks given up under the quivers and lines
You do the whirlwind, don't abandon
Get a handle of yourself, son
Folks given up under the quivers and lines
(Do the whirlwind, do the whirlwind)
You do the whirlwind, don't abandon
(Do the whirlwind)
Get a handle of yourself, son
Folks given up under the quivers and lines
(Do the whirlwind, do the whirlwind)
You do the whirlwind, don't abandon
(Do the whirlwind)
Get a handle of yourself, son
Folks given up under the quivers and lines
(Do the whirlwind, do the whirlwind)
You do the whirlwind, don't abandon
(Do the whirlwind)
Get a handle of yourself, son
Folks given up under the quivers and lines
(Do the whirlwind)
You do the whirlwind, don't abandon
Get a handle of yourself, son
The song "Do The Whirlwind" by Architecture in Helsinki is about a person who has given up on life and is in need of help. The first verse talks about how this person's family has given up on them and they are left alone on a mountaintop, throwing stones at airplanes. The chorus is an encouragement for this person to keep going and to hold onto hope, represented by the whirlwind. The second verse talks about settling down and finding happiness, again encouraging the person to keep moving forward.
The song is a call to action for anyone who may be feeling lost or alone. It reminds them that there is always hope and that it's important to hold onto that hope in order to keep moving forward. The song is upbeat and energetic, with a catchy chorus that is easy to sing along to.
Some possible interpretations of the lyrics could be that the "whirlwind" represents the ups and downs of life, and that it's important to embrace both the good and the bad in order to move forward. It could also represent the chaos and confusion that can come with change, and how it's important to stay strong and keep moving even when things get tough.
Overall, "Do The Whirlwind" is a hopeful and inspiring song that encourages listeners to keep going even when things get tough. It's a reminder that no matter how difficult life may seem, there is always hope for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
She says you've given up
She believes that you have lost hope and motivation.
Your folks told me you should be left alone
Your family thinks that giving you space would be best.
On a mountaintop, knocking the aeroplanes down with stones
You may feel isolated or alone, but you have the ability to cause change in the world.
Do the whirlwind and carry the hope that stings all night long
Embrace the chaos and unpredictability of life, and use it to fuel your optimism.
Don't abandon him, 'cause he quivers when he hears your song
Despite feeling lost, the person still has a connection to you and needs your support.
Believe me, it's safe to see
Trust that there is clarity to be found in this situation, even if it doesn't feel that way.
At least be confused about right and wrong
It's okay to not have all the answers, and to struggle with your sense of morality.
Plan to settle down
Make a plan for your future, and work towards stability and contentment.
Over the moon under the sun
Embrace the beauty and wonder of the world around you, and strive to experience both the highs and the lows.
Do the whirlwind and shotgun the seat that beat, that beats,
Take action and seize opportunities, even in the face of uncertainty or chaos.
Hanging on to the one you love,
Hold tight to the people who offer you support and love, as they are valuable sources of stability and comfort.
To keep keepin', sleepin', dreamin' on
Continue to push forward towards your goals and aspirations, even if it's difficult.
Folks given up under the quivers and lines
People who feel like they have lost control of their lives, and are struggling to find direction.
You do the whirlwind, don't abandon
Take action and embrace the unpredictability of life, while also acknowledging the need to support others who are struggling.
Get a handle of yourself, son
Take control of your life, and don't let your struggles consume you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAMERON BIRD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TimothyTolle
I can't believe it's been 15 years since I uploaded this video rip to Youtube. YT was less than a year old then, and I wanted to embed the song on my Myspace page. Now, by accident, it has over 2 million views and hundreds of comments. I love coming back every once in a while to see people discovering and rediscovering AIH's music and the amazing pixel art by Paul Robertson. Please check out the artists' links in the description and give them your support.
@rahaem9003
A most happy accident I see !
Talking about happy accidents, one of theses brought me here a few days ago and I can't thank you enough for making me discover this band (especially this song) ; I'm definitely adding this one to my "virtual happy spaces". That shit makes me smile everytime, many thanks ! :)
@Khakhees
2mil isn't enough mate. This must have run on rage for years upon years, let alone YT! You're owed your due.
@dulcegamez9870
Yayyy MySpace 🤍
@anonymityt2681
By some off chance I remembered this band and.... Here I am
@cloudy7971
Thank you so much for uploading this
@kurtanash395
Dude... this is the kind of stuff that brings people to tears.
I remember watching this as a young lad on New York Noise (I miss that program so much, probably the reason I am into some of the music I am). I always loved the song, and absolutely adored the music video. I just heard the song a couple of weeks ago playing on my roommate's Spotify, and it took me back. Reminded me of how far I've come, and how far I wish to go.
If you're reading this, you have awesome taste, and I wish you nothing but happiness :)
@normancharles2507
Yes! I think I first saw this video on New York Noise also (I miss that show, too). If memory serves, it was the episode where Nicole Atkins went on a blind date with a member of AIH (Cameron perhaps, or maybe it was someone from another band. That was 17 years ago and my memory banks are partially shot.). I remember they went for pizza and took a tumbling class. I kept that NYN episode on my DVR because it had other good songs on it (Tegan & Sara's "Back In Your Head"). But that was 3 DVRs ago so it's long gone. Anyway, thanks for reminding me about NYN.
@kurtanash395
Seems like you remember more than me! I'm glad I was able to remind you of such a great show! @@normancharles2507
@JoeSarasa
this song brings me so many memories. I wasn't a huge fan of the band, but this song is one of the greatest indie hits from the mid 00s.