RUNIC MOON (nordic musick)

KEMIALLISET YSTÄVÄT

KELLARI JUNIVERSUMI

Original Issue: 2002 Fonal Records (FR-21) (Buy it here!)

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Margot-meter: 4,5 moons / 5

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1 Puiden Sydämet Antavat Tahdin (2:23)
2 Kellari Juniversumi (2:48)
3 Taivas Ja Meri, Yhteen Sulautuneina (3:17)
4 Utuaurat (1:50)
5 Mustametsä (2:38)
6 ...On Pieni Metsä (1:24)
7 Planeetta Kaukainen Muo Kutsuu (1:29)
8 Kuuntelin Kuinka Puut Kuiskivat (2:42)
9 Monien Kalojen Aalto (3:05)
10 Kuuma Tomu (3:32)
11 Amerikka (2:18)
12 Kummitushiiri (2:19)
13 Salainen Paikka (2:04)
14 Pallo (3:38)
15 Kuutarhassa (3:27)
16 Soihdun Tuhkaa (2:46)
17 Heijastuksia! Kaikuja! (5:10)

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from Boomkat:

After a slew of cassette, 7” and cdr releases, the wonderful people at Fonal saw fit to throw Mr. Anderzén’s work into public view and unsurprisingly it received universal acclaim.

Taking cues from the American new-psych gods Jewelled Antler Collective (of whom Anderzén is a sometime member) this is free music at its very best; unpretentious compositions which retain an undeniable sense of irreverence and can be experimental without losing sight of listenability.

All sorts of sounds are thrown into the mix – layer upon layer of analogue synth squelches, detuned guitars and other miscellaneous small instruments adding to the texture and wall-of-sound on this record.

For fans of Fonal this record is an absolute must, an important stepping stone for the label and a hugely influential part of the modern weird-folk-psych scene.

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from Aquarius Records:

Hallelujah! More droning, buzzing, flickering folk-psych from Finland's mysterious Kemialliset Ystavat collective.

Sure, we know who's in the band -- Broken Face 'zine artist/contributor Jan Anderzen, Fonal label head Sami Sanpakkila (Es, Kiila), and a host of other Finns -- but they still SOUND mysterious. The damaged four-track folk sound of NYC's Tower Recordings filtered through the forest ambience of AQ-fave improv-psych outfit Thuja might, MIGHT be an approximation of Kemialliset's sonic space.

They inhabit that territory previously explored by the likes of Amon Duul, Ghost, Kalacakra, Toho Sara, Parson Sound, International Harvester, Amps For Christ, Six Organs Of Admittance, Algarnas Tradgard, etc.

If any of these names bring a warm sensation to your frontal lobes, then you're likely already a Kemialliset fan even if you haven't yet heard 'em. Each track (there's 17 of 'em, spread over 47 minutes) is a psychedelic miniature constructed of drifting, chanting vocals, gentle melodies, and primitive rhythms, contrasting distorted electric guitar wash with pretty, chiming percussion, strings and woodwinds. Freaky and far-out yet mostly mellow and warm and cosy.

Fucking lovely. Ah, Finland.

LITHA (21 June 2008)

The Musick dedicated to this Sabbat is:

VARIOUS ARTISTS

HEAT & BIRDS (JEWELLED ANTLER COMPILATION #2)

Original Issue: 2002 Jewelled Antler (#2; limited to 100 copies)

Margot-meter: 4 moons / 5

Essential introduction to the Jewelled Antler sound-world
By the way, this compilation contains the best Hala Strana track ever; fantastic east-European tune gorgeously manipulated by Mr. Steven R. Smith.

1 Donovan Quinn - Heat & Birds 2:16
2 Hala Strana - Kanasztancok Ket Hegedun 3:03
3 The Floating Birthday Children - Swan on a Black Lake 1:30
4 Muons - Little Star 3:51
5 Of - Aerial Cisterns 4:12
6 Kemialliset Ystävät - Juurakkotukka 2:49
7 The Blithe Sons - Death in the Woods 3:01
8 Dead Raven Choir - Red Rocking Chair 3:29
9 Markus [FIN] - Kingo of Black Leaves 2:35
10 Byram Abbott - Doves Rehabilitating at Fort Cronkhite, 2001 1:02
11 Family of Apostolic - Mabel's Umbrage 3:52
12 The Franciscan Hobbies - The Horned Ibexes 3:22
13 Avarus - Hessu Se Tässä Vaan, Ei Mikki 1:59
14 Golden Hotel - The Blame 1:39
15 MCMS - Live in Brooklyn, 24 August 2002 8:23
16 Thuja - Opaque Reeds 8:24
17 Krsna Meditation - Gill's Pier, 6 a.m., 7 July 2002/Yasomati-nandana 14:28

from Aquarius Records:

"Heat & Birds" is the second 'friends and family' compilation to emerge from the Jewelled Antler collective, offering an overview not only of the numerous activities that are constantly evolving within the collective but also of like-minded artists from across the globe.

Common to Jewelled Antler sound is a magical wistfulness, which seeps through every sound within the label and draws metaphors to half-dreamt memories, impossible lands that only exist in the imagination, or the simple awe of nature.

While the core members (Glenn Donaldson, Loren Chasse, Rob Reger, and Steven R. Smith) are present, they've presented themselves in a variety of unique monikers and projects: such as Hala Strana (an uncredited pseudonym for Steven R. Smith, recreating a manic Hungarian folk instrumental with his trademarked production style of layered sounds building repeated riffs up to bittersweet crescendos), Of (an enigmatic project of evocative etherialism by Loren Chasse), and The Floating Birthday Children (the duo of Donaldson and Kerry McLaughlin offering pensive folk meanderings). Other, better-known Jewelled Antler projects, The Blithe Sons & Daughters, Thuja, and Franciscan Hobbies, also make appearances.

Of the non-JA projects, "Heat & Birds" also features the Finnish avant-improv-rock bands Kemialliset Ystavat, the medieval sounding Markus, and the elusive Avarus. Also, the San Francisco band Golden Hotel have produced another brilliant, drugged-out folk song, but do they remember recording it? And, there's some wonderful field recordings by AQ's own Byram Abbott of the birds in rehabilitation at Fort Cronkite just north of San Francisco. I could go on, but why spoil the mysteries?

"Heat & Birds" is a great collection from a great organization. Recommended.