WAIVE x OOPUS

During two performances in Viljandi and Tallinn, Estonian folktronica band OOPUS delivered an energetic live show where traditional music and generative AI came together on the dancefloor. The showcase was part of the WAIVE Europe project, which explores how public archives can be activated in new musical contexts. While artist Mark IJzerman previously used WAIVE to work with visuals, OOPUS focused on rhythm — using the WAIVE Sequencer to merge centuries-old drum patterns with modern electronic beats.

 

OOPUS is a trio from Estonia that blends traditional music with electronic sounds, analog synths, and custom live light installations. They describe their style as “folk on acid” — an energetic mix of Estonian bagpipes, runo singing, and pounding acid beats. The group consists of instrumentalist Mari Meentalo, DJ/producer Johannes Ahun, and dancer Raho Aadla. Their love for both folklore and electronic dance music makes OOPUS a natural match for WAIVE. Estonia has a rich tradition of folk music, and genres like folktronica are firmly rooted in its cultural landscape. The ability to reimagine traditional rhythms through AI aligned perfectly with their creative approach.

 

 

Viljandi and Talinn

 

The premiere took place in Viljandi, a small town known for its strong folklore culture and home to the Viljandi Culture Academy — a key institution for music and heritage education in Estonia. The performance was held at a local club, drawing both townspeople and visitors from the surrounding region for a full evening showcase. Two days later, the same concept was brought to a larger stage in Tallinn.

 

During the show, OOPUS integrated the WAIVE Sequencer into their existing live set. This AI-powered VST generates drum grooves based on public domain music archives and allows users to combine rhythms from different cultures and genres. For example, OOPUS was able to drive an EDM beat infused with traditional Estonian grooves – featuring asymmetrical time signatures or distinctive percussive patterns. The underlying AI had extracted these features from historical recordings and translated them into modular building blocks within the plugin.

 

OOPUS's performances demonstrated how heritage can be both vibrant and danceable. By treating archival material not as something static, but as rhythmic input for new live compositions, the band gave a contemporary twist to musical tradition. And because the WAIVE tools are open-source, they were able to truly make the technology their own – experimenting, remixing, and adapting it to their style.

 

Besides OOPUS, befriended Estonian drum ‘n bass artist DJ Planeet, opened and closed both live performances. For the occasion, DJ Planeet had created a drum ‘n bass track with WAIVE which he incorporated into his live performance. 

 

Where the first WAIVE showcase focused on soundscapes and abstract visuals, Estonia's edition revolved around rhythm. And it worked: the AI functions were not a gimmick, but a seamless extension of the artistic process. OOPUS proved that folklore and technology don’t have to be at odds – in fact, they can be a powerful source of innovation.

 

WAIVE is an initiative by Thunderboom Records and the Netherlands Institute of Sound & Vision. The VST’s are developed by Superposition and Arran Lyon. WAIVE is funded by Mondriaan Fonds and Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie.