Label: Fonal
My Space
Four years on from the release of his monumental Sateenkaarisuudelma double-album, Fonal boss Sami Sanpakkila returns with a new collection of songs and soundscapes, covering an incredible range of instruments and compositional approaches. Before delving into lengthier, more involved pieces, 'Ennen Oli Huonommin' opens the set with a flourish of flamboyant analog designs. The piece is assembled from heavily modulated tones that gleam with a dazzling irridescence oveer a four minute period. It's all ver bright and major key, far away from the lo-fi forest folk preconceptions that people tend to approach Fonal material with. Next comes a cheery pop ditty: 'Kesa Ja Hymyilevat' introduces vocals and free-roaming electronics, and it's from here on that Sanpakkila really starts to stretch his legs; 'Sateet Sun Sielusta' begins with some floating, fragmented piano phrases only to ascend into a glorious cascade of drone that combines the disciplined classical minimalism of Terry Riley with the psychedelic synthesizer worship of kosmische musik. The title track takes this euphoric long-form approach even further, weaving a symphony of ambient textures from a miscellany of keyboard instruments, ghostly voices and environmental recordings, all building up to a towering crescendo. It's a hard act to follow, but Sanpakkila maintains the joyous tone for a final, pop-tinged bulletin in the shape of 'Haamut Sun Sydamesta'. It's a ear-singeing parting shot from a highly memorable album, one that merrily perforates boundaries between pop and drone music. Highly recommended.
