B-Side Guys

“Draft makes me shiver / Gravity keeps me sincere.” Aleksandra’s observation cuts through Helsinki quartet Electric Picnic’s dreamy instrumental layers like cold air through an open window. “Taiga” maps depression’s landscape with the precision of someone who’s learned its geography intimately, each verse revealing another facet of emotional weight.

The track’s mellow guitar pattern establishes foundation before Eduardo’s synth work begins its careful accumulation. What starts as bedroom pop introspection gradually builds toward something more urgent, mirroring the way depressive episodes can shift from numbness to overwhelming intensity. By the time the epic-feeling synth arrives for the chorus, the song has earned its moment of release through methodical tension-building.

Aleksandra’s vocal delivery captures the exhausted honesty of someone explaining their condition to concerned friends. When she sings “I hate to give good people bad news,” the line carries both apology and resentment—sorry for burdening others, frustrated by the need to constantly justify internal weather patterns. The parenthetical responses in the bridge (“Is it the empathy?” / “Why would you carry it alone?”) suggest conversation with someone trying to understand, adding dialogue dimension to what could have been solitary confession.

The band’s arrangement choices support this emotional progression intelligently. Joao’s guitar work and Aku’s bass maintain steady rhythm while Eduardo layers synthesizers that feel both supportive and suffocating—much like well-meaning attention during difficult periods. The transition to “something more aggressive and overdriven in the outro” provides necessary catharsis after verses of careful control.

What resonates most powerfully is the song’s refusal to romanticize depression or offer easy solutions. Lines like “Everyone turns away… they worry / Because the monsters arrived” acknowledge how mental health struggles affect relationships without assigning blame. The track succeeds as both personal document and universal recognition for anyone who’s felt gravity’s particular weight during dark periods, creating space for complicated emotions without demanding resolution.