Candee Train @GenKlubi, Tartu, Estonia, photo by: Martin Laine

In my previous article, I've already mentioned this group. Electronic and half-calm music isn't indicating that the main value of this group would come out from their live-performances, but band members really created a great live experience. Dominating bass-lines, originality and stylish songs + smile on the faces of the band members. Every louder and more intense rhythm left an enjoyable feeling because the music was structured really well. Somewhat dark, minor and psychedelic music may be the music of the future!

Candee Train on the other hand are open to experimenting. That combined with their effortlessness and great musicianship created an enjoyable experience. The performance slowly grew more and more hypnotic. Inspirational elements from their influences (Radiohead, The Doors) developed further with personal musical touch and vision is what it takes to create fresh and alternative music. Candee Train’s sound is jazzy, especially percussions. Mysterious and psychedelic ambience from synths created a space to dwell in. They haven't quite managed to capture all that tension on their recordings yet but live was impressive.

Enjoying Estonian weather the next day. Photo by: Signe Milkov

A related happy-go-lucky style occurs in the recent material from Candee Train. From the outset this Lithuanian outfit tags itself as "loungecore." Serious relaxation is apparently under way. Likewise the band's miniature biography declares: "We've no idea why we make music... nor why we write these things [such as PR materials]." That lack of fidelity to any one stance or narrative style has led the Baltic press to catalog Candee Train's 2013 album "Hypnopompic Remixes" somewhat randomly as "psychedelic funk, psychedelic pop, noise pop," and so on.

The ensemble's members, speaking in related tones about their music and artwork, have defined the overarching intent of their collective diligence as: "Getting the maximum effect from some minimalist tools. We also appreciate a subtle sense of humor, since we're not serious people ourselves!"

A healthy distance from any grimly defended convictions has been seen by the Lithuanian press in similar terms. Vagueness and a gentle smile go down well. The music of Candee Train was deemed a few months ago to be "reminiscent of a state between waking and sleep." Liminality - embodying nothing in particular - is fine defense against ideological fervor, not to mention musical modishness. The appeal of nothing special, so to speak, can be considerable.

Other examples of an admirable dismissiveness can be found in new interviews with the band. When recently nominated for a domestic prize - yet not actually winning it! - the musicians said they were glad to have avoided the pigeonholing or stereotyping often endured by competition winners. And as for piracy (i.e., the threat of failure, rather than of overexposure), Candee Train had no worries at all: "If somebody ever tries [stealing and then] using our music for commercial purposes, good luck to them! We don't think it would work. Our material is too strange to advertise laundry detergent!"