Groove of ESSR III marks the next chapter in highlighting the musical heritage trapped behind the Iron Curtain during the Soviet occupation. Funk Embassy Records is proud to present this piece of history on a 12”, 180g vinyl with a printed innersleeve full of notes, as well as digitally. The tracklist curated by Henrik Ehte and Ingvar Kassuk spans recordings from 1971–1983 by Estonian artists, most of whom were born under a foreign regime after the war. Nevertheless, they had relatives in the West and antennas tuned in to Finnish radio signals. In a closed-off world, they had the courage to explore the groove without borders.

Tracklist:

1. Uus Generatsioon – Nr. 3
2. Heidy Tamme – Neiu väike
3. Tõnis Märgi, Music Seif – Metsaneid
4. Gunnar Graps, Magnetic Band – Tühjad pihud
5. Els Himma – Samba
6. Apelsin – Igatsus
7. Eesti Raadio estraadiorkester – Hüvasti, Galja! (instrumentaal)
8. Collage – Ehted kadunud
9. Velly Joonas – Stopp, seisku aeg!
10. Helmut Aniko kvintett – Buldog
11. Marje Aare – Sunny

Many performers and songwriters became the most sought-after artists throughout all of Soviet Russia, not because they blindly followed the communist party’s canon. On the contrary, the sheer brilliance of their compositions, exceptional artistry, and stage acts that felt like the West attracted audiences even if they couldn’t understand the lyrics. Trying to control, censor, and stop bands from doing their thing became impossible in some cases. Despite multiple attempts to stop him, Gunnar “Iron Man” Graps only sang in Estonian and played all kinds of music he wanted.

We didn’t hold back on the classics this time, since their hit status stems mostly from the 1.3 million people in the northernmost Baltic state. Apelsin’s “Igatsus,” an instrumental guitar track written by Tõnu Aare, stands out as one of the most beautiful original compositions many Estonians know, yet it deserves wider recognition. One exception is “Stopp, seisku aeg!” by Velly Joonas, which has already garnered international attention thanks to Frotee Records’ 7-inch release and the amazing Funked Up East YouTube channel. As is our custom, you’ll find cuts that had never made it out of the archives’ analog tapes before we restored them with the help of both Estonian Radio personnel and mastering engineer Jörgen Hermaste. 

A more saddening tradition has also taken root, with the heroes who laid the foundation for our rich music scene passing away. So we dedicate the Groove of ESSR III volume to Els Himma (1940–2025) and Mikk Targo (1959–2025), exceptional human beings who left us with the gift of their music and memories of interesting and fun moments working together to give this music another life. The first takes us to a smoky jazz joint with a tender rendition of “Samba”. The latter suitably kicks off volume number 3 with the track ‘Nr. 3,’ the third song he ever wrote.

Make no mistake, our nostalgia is not for the USSR, but for the unique spirit of people who would use music to withstand terror, deportation, and oppression. Ultimately, united by the Singing Revolution, we got back what was taken from us—our freedom. Funk Embassy Records stands with Ukraine and the rest of the world that takes a clear stance against the evil imperialistic politics of Russia and the likes.