Finnish indie rock duo messier have released their latest single, Baskervilles, from their forthcoming second album, Stream of Guilty Consciousness. We asked Antti Orajärvi of the band the BIG questions . . .
Originally founded in Oulu, Finland in 2017, Lauri Huumonen and Antti released their debut album, On Malaise, via California punk label SideOneDummy Records in 2021.
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"Baskervilles embodies the themes of our new album perfectly," says Lauri. "It's about how we can become addicted to misery through constant catastrophizing - how imagining the worst scenarios undermines our well-being and becomes self-perpetuating."
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
Let's play two truths and a lie. We are originally from Oulu, Finland. We have been together since late 2017 and we have our sophomore album Stream of Guilty Consciousness coming out in May 2025. And finally, I once put 27 pieces of chewing gum in my mouth at the same time.
How would you describe your music?
Our music is a blend of different styles of indie rock, which, of course, does not mean much. What makes it special is the underlying tone, which I believe is inherently Finnish. With those things combined, we might just stick out of the crowd a little bit. For sure there are not many bands like us in Finland currently.
Who are your musical inspirations?
There is an ocean of influences and in modern times we come across exciting new music every day. Naturally, we can mention indie rock greats like The Cure and Interpol as well as earlier punk rock. However, over the years different sorts of folk, Americana artists as well as baroque pop have become very important to us. We also have to mention the influence that Finnish music has had on us. Just learn the language and dive right in.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
I'm guessing you're not familiar with a Finnish band called Fröbelin Palikat but I was four and that was my first gig. It's a children's music band but they sound like Creedence Clearwater Revival so there's something going on for the adults too so kind of a win/win situation! My first "actual" gig is probably seeing AC/DC in 2010 with my dad.
What was the first record you ever bought?
I remember listening to a CD single of Eminem's Lose Yourself which five-year-old me thought was really great and it still is. Everything got a lot tamer by the time I got my hands on my own money and purchased Kiss' Love Gun or Led Zeppelin's IV on CD in the fourth grade.
What’s your favourite song right now?
I've been trying to recall the best songs of last year and stumbled upon Patterns by Laura Marling after a good friend recommended it to me. Really pretty and a warm folky song.
Favourite lyric of all time?
For some reason, I've always been drawn to lyrics and songs with melancholic tones, both happy and sad. God Only Knows by The Beach Boys has always been one of the best ones for me. The whole album sounds really tropical and happy but the lyrics take on themes of love and loneliness and being an outsider and do it really well. A more recent lyric that I really like is A Hero's Death by Fontaines D.C.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
That's a tough one. You'd want something that doesn't really lose the spark after the first 100 listens, so maybe a longer song like Coney Island Baby by Lou Reed or if Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor counts as one song then maybe that one. If not then only the second movement.
Where can people find your music/more information?
By the usual means: We are messierband on Instagram, TikTok and Bluesky.
Alan Corr
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