dances
Label: Qbico
Format: Vinyl LP
Genre: Experimental
In stock
"And still they keep coming, these Finnish Improv shamans creating a brand of rough magic that intoxicates with its guileless charm and fearless recourse to instinct over deliberation. These two Qbico releases are naive and a little kooky, but never gratingly so. Both raise smiles and lift spirits, and while they could well be dismissed as formless, sloppy freakouts, they're a lot of fun. Both Cluster and Lauhkeat Lampaat (the name translates as Meek Sheep) are affiliated with the free/folk jazz group Rauhan Orkesteri (Cluster got no connections with RO, LL yes). The span of the collective's musical interests is well represented here, with Dances veering into jazzier territory and The most pollo displaying a more mystical avant folk sensibility. Both share an enchanting warmth and appetite for adventure. Walter Swanljung and Ville Sahlakari are pictured play-fighting on the sleeve of Dances, a perfect representation of their approach. Swanljung's lo-fi keyboard work is clearly inspired by Sun Ra but more immediatly recalls the red-hot organ splinters thrown out by Gareth Williams with This Heat. Sahlakari's feral drumming, meanwhile, sounds like an attempt to smoother all the sound his partner contributes under a blanket of undisciplined rumble and clatter. It's a mess- but that's a recommendation. Brothers Jasu (real name is Jaakko) and Antti Tolvi are the backbone of LL, with occasional input from winsome free folk scenester Lau Nau. The most pollo is a collection of impish improvisations based around percussion doodles, string scrapings and muted feedback experiments. The short vignettes on the 1st side are like trial runs for the more confident piece on the 2nd, in which the duo beaver away with the euphoric focus of children at play." Keith Moliné
Cat. number: QBICO 44
Year: 2009