About a decade ago, in the small town of Kuopio, Finland, the trio Rubik was born. Together, falsetto virtuoso Artturi Taira, keyboardist/guitarist Samuli Pöyhöne, and drummer Sampa Väätäinen became local indie names through live gigs and their debut EP, People Go Missing, in 2004. They released a debut album Bad Conscience Patrol in 2007, then grew some more, adding new members and quirky live instruments, i.e., a gong. By the time they released Dada Bandits in 2009, they had around 10 band members on stage at a time. More importantly, they’d mastered a melodic indie rock sound tinged with electronics. Deeply emotional, wall-of-sound, flawless psychedelic pop tracks like “Goji Berries” landed them stateside press, as well as a live spot on Seattle’s famed radio station, KEXP.

Now, with the release of their 2011 album, Solar, Rubik is tighter than ever and practically unrecognizable from their trio days. Innovative, larger-than-life, yet charming songs like “The World Around You” and “Laws of Gravity” easily propel them into the ranks to Hot Chip, The Cure, and Phoenix. Not surprisingly, the high caliber LP was mixed by Ben Allen of Animal Collective, MIA, and Cut Copy mixing fame.

After Solar, Rubik became the first Finnish band to rock the Primavera festival in Barcelona, where they captivated the crowd with their signature free-form, energetic performance. From little-known trio to a rising indie stampede on high-profile stages, Rubik has become the poster band for the old adage, “the more the merrier.”

Photo by Noora Isoeskeli