I am totally addicted by the latest Kemialliset Ystävät album and as part of my campaign to encourage people to beg, borrow, steal or even buy a copy I’ve posted a review of it at Whisperin’ & Hollerin’ and Last.Fm – follow my links to see it.
If you go to the Fonal page & click on Jukebox you can hear a stream of this Finnish record labels sublime offerings – make sure you hear the majestic Superhimmeli track off this album – currently my favourite.
The wonderful new Kemialliset Ystävät album on Fonal records has got me searching back through the modest but precious section of my New Weird albums dedicated to the seriously strange sounds of the Finnish Underground.
One of these is an album I picked up a couple of years ago in Helsinki by Kheta Hotem called The Swans Are Leaving . I knew nothing about it at the time but I bought it rather than leave the shop empty handed (always a sad thing!) . It turned out to be an inspired purchase. It features Keijo Virtanen who has gone on to make interesting solo stuff or found other collaborators. There’s an article about him in this month’s Wire magazine.
In Finnish Khem (köhöm) refers to a style of throaty singing which apparently was big among the nomadic tribes called the Komuts. Keijo practices this singing style with Kheta Hotem but on a cdr available as a free download here he also incorporates chimes, drones,and electro-acoustic effects to concoct a strange organic brew.
There’s no way I’m ever going to understand what drives these Finnish guys to make the music they do but the mystery is part of the appeal.
 | Anonymous on No tears for Mark Lanegan |
 | MaleFriends on IN PRAISE OF THE HAIRY CHEST |
| Anonymous on COPYCAT KILLER IN DUMB MOVIE |
