More about: YASMYN

In our recent jaunt to the northern European country of Estonia for the splendid Tallinn Music Week, we encountered plenty of impressive sounds and enjoyed the Estonian hospitality. So much was going on across the city though, that we didn't get to see as much of the local artists as we would have liked.

Since then we've done some exploring. Here are 7 Estonian artists that you should check out...

Duo Ruut

Best for: Rainy bus rides.
Highlight: 'Väljad karja käia'

Having met over an Estonian zither (a kind of string instrument shaped like a curved box), Katariina Kivi and Ann-Lisett Rebane were always destined to make music together. The pair, whose band name translates to Duo Square, released their debut album Tuule Sõnad in 2019. For its folkloric, mesmeric lullabies and for the sheer inventiveness displayed on the zither, they were nominated for the Debut Album of the Year at 2020's Estonian Ethno Music Awards. Their music is really very beautiful; a must-listen.

Puuluup

Best for: Awakening your witchy northern European roots.
Highlight: 'Paala Järve Vaala Baar'

Being a duo who work with folk music are where the comparisons between Puuluup and Duo Ruut end. Ramo Teder and Marko Veisson use talharpas — an ancient kind of lyre — to create their unsettling sound, which feels familiar even as it challenges your sense of music as you know it. 

Rita Ray

Best for: Acting the vixen at a casino.
Highlight: 'Love Ain't The Same'

A beautiful voice, a penchant for blues guitar: there aren't too many people that the vintage purrings of Rita Ray wouldn't appeal to. Live, she's supported by a four to 8-piece band, but you just know that that voice could command a room without a single accompaniament. 

Vera Vice

Best for: Wild swimming.
Highlight: 'Aurora'

This duo's latest album Forget Me Not just dropped, and it demonstrates a delicate yet off-kilter treatment of electronic pop. Like a northern European counterpart to the UK's Let's Eat Grandma, Vera Vice use all sorts of instruments, including theremins and household objects, in their hypnagogic world-building. 

Daniel Levi

Best for: Dancing at the club.
Highlight: 'One On One'

Daniel is a household name in Estonia thanks to his particularly sunny brand of modern pop. Dance rhythms and techniques underlay his oft-soulful pop vocalisations. For those of us not afraid to outwardly enjoy mainstream pop, Daniel is a seriously top discovery.

Lexsoul Dancemachine

Best for: Seeing live.
Highlight: 'Beef Grinder'

Who was it that decided funk wasn't cool? A seriously disturbed individual they must have been, because how can you resist the beckoning finger of an absolute groove? Lexsoul Dancemachine have sex appeal and slap bass in abundance, and they have a distinctly punk-ish vibe to them too. 

YASMYN

Best for: Feeling fit.
Highlight: 'Dance With Me'

Genuinely exciting smoky RnB songs have gathered YASMYN recognition in her native Estonia, but these smooth verses and sensual beats deserve recognition further afield. 2018 single 'I Like U A Lot' has hundreds of thousands of streams, but it's her most recent cut 'Dance With Me' that's also caught our ear.

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More about: YASMYN