Circle (the Finnish band): S/D

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Which albums by Circle should I pick up?

die9o (dhadis), Wednesday, 8 January 2003 16:24 (10 years ago) Permalink

Based on the songs I heard on that Klangbad comp and descriptions I've read of them, I think I'd like them a lot but don't really know where to begin--they have so many records.

die9o (dhadis), Wednesday, 8 January 2003 16:25 (10 years ago) Permalink

I mentioned this one before, but the live album "Raunio," recorded in Eastern Europe, I think, on September 11, 2001, is really great. I think it's vinyl-only now, but Squealor will be releasing it on CD in February, or thereabouts.

Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 8 January 2003 16:27 (10 years ago) Permalink

I thought Raunio was already out on CD? Anyway, it is good, though in general, I think Circle can become a little mind-numbing after awhile.

dleone (dleone), Wednesday, 8 January 2003 16:43 (10 years ago) Permalink

It was out internationally, not domestically in the U.S. I just checked Squealer's site, and it isn't clear if it's out already. My promo copy has 2003 as the copyright date, so I would guess not.

Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 8 January 2003 16:48 (10 years ago) Permalink

THanks for the info.

And as an aside, how's that WORMS album on tUMULt?

die9o (dhadis), Wednesday, 8 January 2003 16:54 (10 years ago) Permalink

I like the tUMULt one Andexelt a lot and Pori is also really good (they have a shit load of early records which are also supposed to be GREAT in the same vein, but I've been unable to get a hold of them). Both of the aformentioned are definitely more trance-y krautrock kind of stuff. . . BUT recent records Sunrise and Raunio feature a vocalist and are definitely more METAL sounding (sort of like a Finnish Judas Priest at points).

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 9 January 2003 02:08 (10 years ago) Permalink

Some friends have recommended these folks and I might have some mp3s around. What little I've heard of them via the Acid Mothers connection was Most Promising.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 9 January 2003 02:30 (10 years ago) Permalink

Probably seconding what a few peeps have said already.

Of the ones you can get hold of easily I'd say the recent Sunrise and Prospekt disks are both excellent. Sunrise is mostly in a motorik-trance-metal style (yes complete with screaming, almost operatic vocals - it works!) and also some lovely more acoustic tracks. Prospekt sounds slightly more "cyber" and less traditionally rock, but is still pretty raging, and of course repetetive as hell. Pori also has some top moments, plus some jazzy p**t-r**k bits (but hey it was 1996, and it's not that bad if you actually like Tortoise) The way they can pull off stuff in 15/8 or whatever, without sounding at all prog is wikkid. Taantumus is also pretty great, some ace riddims with some jazzier tracks and some more rockin ones, and certainly a big Can influence. Circle's rhythms really are what set them apart. I can imagine them appealing to more open minded 'tronica heads as well. This really is stoner music par-excellence, but sharp as f*** in that Finish way - they've probly never done druqks in their lives :)

I think all of the above are available from www.chunkyrecords.com in the UK, and also from the bands' own label www.ektrorecords.com, along with lots of curious side projects. Chunky records have also just recently reissued Prospekt on vinyl on their Static-Resonance label.

Go for it!

brainliner, Thursday, 9 January 2003 15:06 (10 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...
i second "raunio" which is everything i expect "spacerock" to be and never is. dark and psychedelic. also "sunrise" absolutely hilarious album. psychedelic judas priest w/ amon duul sung by human goat-priest colourful creepy rockin good fun. can anyone advise me on the exact operating areas of ovalki and kirvasto (feat circle / ex circle members) ?????????? the bad vugum descriptions are always so very innacurate for some godforsaken reason!

bobba snoom snoom, Saturday, 29 March 2003 21:46 (10 years ago) Permalink

Oddly enough I just got copies of Raunio and Sunrise in the mail! :-)

Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 29 March 2003 22:01 (10 years ago) Permalink

lucky man. i only get those things with missing kids on one side and carpet cleaning ads on the other.

your null fame (yournullfame), Sunday, 30 March 2003 00:11 (10 years ago) Permalink

Pori is the one I pull out most often, and it's pretty often these days. Good stuff

roger adultery (roger adultery), Sunday, 30 March 2003 01:20 (10 years ago) Permalink

Meronia and Zopalki just sounded even better than i'd remembered. and all the latent ||-dimension Stereolabisms made me dig out Snapper's Shotgun Blossom (yeah!) i still can't quite wrap my ears 'round the vocal histrionics of Prospekt onward, but the music is mostly superb.

summerslastsound (summerslastsound), Sunday, 30 March 2003 04:16 (10 years ago) Permalink

Raunio was indeed pretty damn great, but fucking fuck fuck is Sunrise completely goddamn over the top. "Nopeuskuningas" is what I imagine is going on inside Dave Q's head most of the time.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 2 April 2003 17:02 (10 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...
i just got me TAANTUMUS boy o boy its the freeakin bolox, man. vision creation newsun my arse! it even has a track that sounds like devo of the troll-world

bob snoom, Thursday, 19 June 2003 10:36 (9 years ago) Permalink

Finland is the new Brooklyn.

adam (adam), Thursday, 19 June 2003 17:26 (9 years ago) Permalink

11 months pass...
FUCK! I was about to start this thread when I decided to do a search instead. Ironically, I found it through a link in a "starting new thread when one already exists" thread. Anyway, I just went to Tumult.net to check out TAANTUMUS, but the Tumult site seemed unresponsive. Anyway know if Tumult's on hiatus?(Speaking of label hiatus, what happened to Hanson?)
Anyway, I've only got Raunio and Prospekt by Circle and would really like more to vary the cosmic pummeling.

Sean Witzman (trip maker), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 12:55 (8 years ago) Permalink

Also, what do people think of all the side projects(Pharaoh Overlord, Doktor Kettu, etc)? What's good? What's less than?

Sean Witzman (trip maker), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 13:20 (8 years ago) Permalink

Great guys, good albums. I bet their live show must be fantastic.
Go for _Raunio_ and _Sunrise_; the last one _Guillotine_ has a couple of very nice Can-like tracks.

Marco Damiani (Marco D.), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 14:14 (8 years ago) Permalink

Doktor Kettu is massive, much 'darker' and 'out' than Circle. Improv, droney fun. I didn't know they were Circle-related. Thanks for the info!

John Bullabaugh (John Bullabaugh), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 19:19 (8 years ago) Permalink

Pretty sure it's Jussi's solo project. Could be wrong.
Perhaps refer to Eclipse for clarification?

Sean Witzman (trip maker), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 19:20 (8 years ago) Permalink

another finnish band you maybe want to check out are deep turtle who sing in spanish and sound like king crimson (with all mambers replaced by unsane)doing ricky martin covers. neeto!

bob snoom, Friday, 11 June 2004 13:42 (8 years ago) Permalink

MAMBERS

cutty (mcutt), Friday, 11 June 2004 14:06 (8 years ago) Permalink

re: Pharoh Overlord

They are a bit more sparse than Circle, slow grooves, slight metal edge, repetitious riffs...kind of mellow.

Pot Friendly.

ddb (ddb), Friday, 11 June 2004 14:23 (8 years ago) Permalink

i was really dissapointed with 'guillotine' after the strong showing on 'sunrise' and 'alotus'.will definately go back and check it out again soon.
circle has the most prolific player in jussi lehtisalo this side of bob pollard.
http://lvd.4mg.com/ has just released a live pharoah overlord[jussi] cd that i wanna hear. the first two studio discs are stellar.
jussi also records with ektroverde and the Lehtisalofamily.in addition he runs ektro records,the label for most things circle.
much more info may be found at http://www.phinnweb.com/circle/. hope this helps a little.

william (william), Friday, 11 June 2004 17:37 (8 years ago) Permalink

not that bob pollard is the bassist. should have said bandleader.

william (william), Friday, 11 June 2004 17:39 (8 years ago) Permalink

other circle threads to check::
circle :: "guillotine"
wanting to find:: more 'circle'
Pharaoh Overlord?????

william (william), Friday, 11 June 2004 17:48 (8 years ago) Permalink

Thanks very much. I'm sold on Pharaoh Overlord now, but I'm also completely broke and I've convinced myself that I will stop spending frivolously on music. And I will. stop.

Sean Witzman (trip maker), Friday, 11 June 2004 17:57 (8 years ago) Permalink

i really like "pori".
its so driving.

emma cleveland (emma cleveland), Friday, 11 June 2004 18:18 (8 years ago) Permalink

Anyway know if Tumult's on hiatus?

they just put out the leviathan/crebain split; i don't think andee's on hiatus, i think their website is just in desperate need of updating.

el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Friday, 11 June 2004 19:12 (8 years ago) Permalink

Yes. I can't get through the title page. It's just trees and the word Tumult.

Sean Witzman (trip maker), Friday, 11 June 2004 19:30 (8 years ago) Permalink

you got to click on the center of the spiral in the trees, dude. just move your cursor around, you'll find it.

el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Friday, 11 June 2004 20:55 (8 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...
Shit! They'll never come my way!

CIRCLE:
(All shows with Cul De Sac)
Sat Mar 11, Boston, MA - TT The Bear's Place
Sun Mar 12, New York, NY - Knitting Factory
Mon Mar 13, Charlottesville, VA - Twisted Tea Bazaar
Tues Mar 14, Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506
Wed Mar 15, Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn
Fri Mar 17, Austin, TX - Emo's 4 (Eclipse SXSW Showcase)
Sun Mar 19, Alburquerque, NM - Launchpad
Mon Mar 20, Las Vegas, NV - Venue TBA
Tues Mar 21, San Diego, CA - Venue TBA
Wed Mar 22, Los Angeles, CA - Knitting Factory

peepee (peepee), Friday, 10 March 2006 14:53 (7 years ago) Permalink

They hate you. (You should protest.) I think I'm already doing something that night, more's the pity, but at least I've seen them once before!

Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 10 March 2006 15:02 (7 years ago) Permalink

You're right, Ned. I will protest.
I refuse to see them on this tour!

peepee (peepee), Friday, 10 March 2006 17:36 (7 years ago) Permalink

I saw them live last time out. Haha.

Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Friday, 10 March 2006 17:45 (7 years ago) Permalink

They fucking DESTROYED last year.

Special Agent Gene Krupa (orion), Friday, 10 March 2006 17:49 (7 years ago) Permalink

Was Golem/Vesiliirto ever released on CD?

Are they ABSOLUTELY MUST SEE LIVE?

I have to pick shows very carefully this month....

Giles Manius (jsoulja), Friday, 10 March 2006 18:45 (7 years ago) Permalink

YES THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY MUST SEE LIVE.

Matt #2 (Matt #2), Friday, 10 March 2006 19:14 (7 years ago) Permalink

What Matt said.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 10 March 2006 19:15 (7 years ago) Permalink

They never come to Scotland :(

Last Of The Famous International Pfunkboys (Kerr), Friday, 10 March 2006 19:18 (7 years ago) Permalink

Very surprised that they're skipping the Bay Area since Aquarius seems to be such vocal supporters of Circle. Las Vegas and San Diego instead?

QuantumNoise (Justin Farrar), Friday, 10 March 2006 20:29 (7 years ago) Permalink

I'm pretty sure they played San Francisco last year. If I remember correct, I was up there and had to choose between seeing them and Richie Hawtin, and I picked Richie Hawtin.

Giles Manius (jsoulja), Friday, 10 March 2006 20:35 (7 years ago) Permalink

1 month passes...
Other groups to check out related to Circle:

Rättö ja Lehtisalo, spacey experimental synth pop with progressive overtones.
Kuusumun Profeetta, trippy folk music (actually one of their 4 albums is pretty straightforward old school heavy) with Mika Rättö on vocals and Rhodes.

mikko (mikko), Friday, 21 April 2006 05:08 (7 years ago) Permalink

Tivol!

Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 21 April 2006 08:09 (7 years ago) Permalink

I almost revived this thread a few days ago because I found a bunch of older Circle albums on usenet and fell in love with them. I don't have anything to add, though. I'm not as keen on their NWOFHM stuff, but it's still good. The newest Pharaoh Overlord album is hard to listen to. My favorites are: Alotus, Andexelt, Guillotine, and Pori. I wish some of these albums weren't so hard to find on CD.

josh in sf (stfu kthx), Friday, 21 April 2006 16:31 (7 years ago) Permalink

A friend of mine played some Rättö & Lehtisalo to me, it didn't sound like synth pop, more like experimental folk. I don't really like Circle that much (too post-rock), but Kuusumun Profeetta is highly recommendable, though the heavy album is of acquired taste. And you probably miss some of it's charm if you don't understand the lyrics.

Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 21 April 2006 18:59 (7 years ago) Permalink

so let's talk about earthworm, the new ep with the singer from jesters of destiny on guest vocals. first song almost comes across as a smarter circle/early monster magnet hybrid but fast. rest is a little less exciting but still pretty solid and i could actually picture them getting airplay on non-corporate rock stations. if there were any.

GOD PUNCH TO HAWKWIND (yournullfame), Sunday, 30 April 2006 23:54 (7 years ago) Permalink

the beginning of the first song on "earthworm" sounds just like ruinzhatova's cover of "close to the edge." that's fine by me. i was put off a little by the english singing, but got used to it. the piano plinking stuff in the last song's a nice way to end it

prince rupert, Tuesday, 2 May 2006 20:48 (7 years ago) Permalink

Got your email liam, thanks! Hoping to have a chance to reply this weekend...

only NWOFHM! is real (krakow), Friday, 6 July 2012 22:33 (10 months ago) Permalink

2 weeks pass...

Delighted I found this forum.

FRUG, Sunday, 22 July 2012 11:05 (10 months ago) Permalink

Welcome!

only NWOFHM! is real (krakow), Sunday, 22 July 2012 11:30 (10 months ago) Permalink

Gosh, sorry liam, I'm still WAY behind.

only NWOFHM! is real (krakow), Sunday, 22 July 2012 11:31 (10 months ago) Permalink

I went to the store looking for Forest (didn't find it) but I did find a used copy of the Saturnus Reality dvd, for which I paid a modest $7. I don't really know what to expect other than 98 min of Circle.

nicest bitch of poster (La Lechera), Sunday, 22 July 2012 13:46 (10 months ago) Permalink

Don't worry Krakow, no rush! Unless you find a copy of Noiduttu that is ha!

Saturnus Reality is indeed 98 minutes of Circle... goofing off in a cabin in the woods!

liam fennell, Monday, 23 July 2012 13:05 (9 months ago) Permalink

Big Circle fan but to paraphrase Woody Allen: "If I had to live my life again, I'd do everything the same, except that I wouldn't see Saturnus Reality."

Terabytes of FLACS of screaming (Call the Cops), Monday, 23 July 2012 14:15 (9 months ago) Permalink

Oh no!

nicest bitch of poster (La Lechera), Monday, 23 July 2012 14:20 (9 months ago) Permalink

B-b-but it's the Finnegans Wake of Finnish rock docs

that one guy (loves laboured breathing), Monday, 23 July 2012 16:17 (9 months ago) Permalink

Call the Cops and loves laboured breathing... both of those are great quotes! Can I use them on NWOFHM! to 'advertise' Saturnus Reality, please?

NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Monday, 23 July 2012 21:45 (9 months ago) Permalink

I'm about to watch this in 15 min increments, pausing for frequent status checks as to whether or not I'm regretting it.

nicest bitch of poster (La Lechera), Monday, 23 July 2012 22:00 (9 months ago) Permalink

Not regretting it at all so far, a few thoughts because why not:

-- love the electric orange baby bottle eye
-- Christmas tree discussion was typical for Finnish people in general or no?
-- love the sun through the trees, lots of pretty things to look at
-- shiny and dull in all the right places

* caveat, i love things that are extremely banal, including but not limited to frederick wiseman movies, dry history books with excruciating details about normal life during different eras, found items and sentimental crap that winds up in thrift stores, shit like that

it has been worth my $7 already. can't imagine the rest being a full out assault on my sensibilities.

nicest bitch of poster (La Lechera), Monday, 23 July 2012 22:28 (9 months ago) Permalink

A wee clip from Circle's performance at Jättömaa 2012 this weekend just gone...

NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Monday, 23 July 2012 22:36 (9 months ago) Permalink

xp

that one guy (loves laboured breathing), Tuesday, 24 July 2012 13:25 (9 months ago) Permalink

I rather like SR myself although it took a bit to grow on me. It's worth a second and perhaps even a third look IMO. If nothing else the soundtrack, especially towards the end when it all gets dreamy and nostalgic, is very nice indeed.

liam fennell, Tuesday, 24 July 2012 17:20 (9 months ago) Permalink

I finnish friend who turned me on to Circle told me never to watch either Saturnus Reality or Man With a Video Camera... I wondered if that was just his personal taste but reading the above I can perhaps see why!! Not sure I'd like to have any insight into the band whatsoever, so as to be able to take the music at face value and not have anything else colour that. Also it's a help that I havn't a notion about any of the lyrics, my finnish friend again told me they are, for the most part, total nonsense!! (He did translate Laake for one time we were listening to Rautatie and it actually did give me a further appreciation of that song, the picture of a spilt bottle of pills on the youtube vid for the song is quite apt!)

How do people feel about Manner??? Only got it last week and I've literally listened to nothing else this week except it and Lunar Jetman (which is also phenomenal, didn't expect much since I hated Out of the Darkness)

I think New Fantasy will become a "Circle classic"(a la Nopeuskuningas), such a fantastically written track. I was unsure after Infektio if Circle would return to that perfect NWOFHM/psychedilic mix on Rautatie, and so delighted they are still evolving it!

FRUG, Sunday, 29 July 2012 10:02 (9 months ago) Permalink

Frug, you're prob right, it's better to get to know them through the music, the mystery is half the fun! But once you do Saturnus Reality is an interesting insight into how they operate and how much playful humor and joy actually goes into this seemingly very serious and heavy music. I too like not knowing the words, it's why I mostly listen to foreign stuff in general in fact. Then they can be about anything!

Haven't heard Manner yet because I don't have a record player! Fuck! I borrow one from a friend to rip things every now and then but I wait until they pile up. I like the songs from the live disc Serpent and the stuff floating around youtube so I'm sure the album proper rules.

liam fennell, Thursday, 2 August 2012 14:36 (9 months ago) Permalink

Yeah, I haven't heard Manner yet either. I managed to snag one of the last copies at my local shop, but my record player is in storage right now (much of the music stuff had to go when we converted our second bedroom into a nursery).

heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 2 August 2012 14:39 (9 months ago) Permalink

Circle followers may be interested that Janne Westerlund (Circle and Pharaoh Overlord guitarist and singer and leader of his own band Plain Ride) has a debut solo album 'Oran' coming out on CD on the label 9pm Records in September.

There are a couple of tracks available on his soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/jannewesterlund

NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Thursday, 9 August 2012 11:06 (9 months ago) Permalink

Cool, all the Plain Rides are kinda samey but this lullaby stuff is a nice change. It makes me really wonder what a 2012 Chainsmoker album would be like.

Quick search of youtube turns up JW doing a Forest song! Cool:

liam fennell, Thursday, 9 August 2012 12:02 (9 months ago) Permalink

Thanks liam, I'd not seen that before.

NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Monday, 13 August 2012 22:40 (9 months ago) Permalink

In Circle news...

'Hissi' and 'Fraten' get the reissue treatment on Ektro! Remastered CD versions are due 7th September. These are the third and fourth albums, from 1996 and 1997 respectively, originally issued by Metamorphos (and Captain Trip).

NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Monday, 13 August 2012 22:43 (9 months ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

Man I love Lunar Jetman; I still haven't heard much from these guys, but this might be my favorite thing they've done

^loves belaboured seething (Drugs A. Money), Friday, 21 September 2012 05:39 (8 months ago) Permalink

They've got a new split with Grails coming at the end of October, which I'm anticipating greatly!

NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Friday, 21 September 2012 07:49 (8 months ago) Permalink

They being Pharaoh Overlord, as per Lunar Jetman, I mean.

NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Friday, 21 September 2012 07:49 (8 months ago) Permalink

Awesome news Krakow!

I'm really looking forward to the Kuusumun Profeetta, too. Although this one seems completely different, their last album from 4-5 years ago called Lyhtykuja is easily one of the best albums in the whole Circle axis. That cd is highly recommended to anyone who is a Mika Ratto fan and likes the idea of minor key and mysterious synthesizer prog. It's kinda like an operatic take on the band Goblin.

Can't find any Lyhtykuja videos from the album proper but here's a live version of the best song on it (which doesn't quite do the tune justice, but...)

&

liam fennell, Friday, 21 September 2012 12:03 (8 months ago) Permalink

3 weeks pass...

The new Quietus mix opens with Pharaoh Overload and may (or may not) be relevant to this thread's interests:

Quietus Mix 71: Hexvessel Present Current Affairs Of The Finnish Psychedelic Underground

(the rest isn't Circle-related to the best of my knowledge, though there is a lot I don't know about such things, but I check the Quietus's weekly mixes every week and thought I'd take the opportunity to plug one)

still small voice of clam (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 12 October 2012 13:18 (7 months ago) Permalink

..."check" in a purely home-listener sense, in case that read like I actually have anything to do with their curation or anything

still small voice of clam (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 12 October 2012 13:20 (7 months ago) Permalink

New Circle 7'' coming in the next couple of weeks! Circle cover Jesters Of Destiny's 'End Of Time' and 'God Told Me To' with Jesters members Bruce Duff and Ray Violet as part of the Circle line-up. Out around 30th October on Full Contact...

http://soundcloud.com/ektrorecords

NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Tuesday, 23 October 2012 11:14 (6 months ago) Permalink

Amazing news! That sample is fucking great!

As for the recent slew of albums that came out recently: I think the Arkhamin Kirvasto rules although I'm not crazy about the death metal singing, the Kuusumun Profeeta is very beautiful but very easy-listening AOR and the Janne Westerlund sort of totally kicks ass in a very mild mannered and quirky way... with lots of banjos.

liam fennell, Tuesday, 23 October 2012 11:50 (6 months ago) Permalink

I have Janne Westerlund coming up to Glasgow for a gig here on Thursday 6th December while he's in the UK with Mäkkelä's Trash Lounge...

https://www.facebook.com/events/230586177070211/

NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Tuesday, 23 October 2012 11:55 (6 months ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

So what were the Janne Westerlund gigs like Karakow? Did he have a band?

Finally heard Manner now that it has a CD reissue. It is... very mannered, ha. Stately. Much of it is sparse rhythmically, at least the framework, but the whole is dense with novel sonic textures and effects. So many little details. Very cool. Very colorful. I'm personally not crazy about the Eno cover but that's only because it's a song I don't like much and it drags a little. For me it fits better into the context of Serpent.

Manner might be the Circle album with the most singing, the Ratto songs are all performed with completely different vocal styles. He's very much an actor performing different roles in these miniature melodramas! Overall it is pretty great stuff but slightly weaker overall than the Rautatie and Infektio albums which precede it and feature the same lineup. Weaker only in that it's not quite as exciting/adventurous.

Also have been loving the Kuusumun Profeeta which is almost like a whole album of the most mellow and spacey Pink Floyd tracks from the 70s. Incredibly lush and understated (almost precious) but still very prog in spirit, it's all driven by the bubbling bass guitar and subdued synth textures. Highly recommended if you like that sort of thing!

liam fennell, Thursday, 7 February 2013 17:14 (3 months ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

busted out the last kuusumun profeeta again today. still love it.

also

Incredibly lush and understated (almost precious)

this album often sounds so emo to me! not a pejorative thing, I kinda dig it tbh. "sataa lumi maahan hiljaa ja varhain" is like american football with chops. so then maybe... how it feels to be something on?

(⊙_⊙?) (Alan N), Wednesday, 17 April 2013 04:59 (1 month ago) Permalink

also listened to circle's suur-pori the other day. fairly aimless jam session. not sure it even needed a cassette release, really.

(⊙_⊙?) (Alan N), Wednesday, 17 April 2013 05:01 (1 month ago) Permalink

Still haven't played those new cassettes! I'm looking forward to the Ektroverde one most. The Circle/Verde Giardino was pretty WTF and perhaps not really necessary too, ha. Still glad to have it.

I still really love that last Kuusumun album also. It really hits the spot. I agree it is very American Football!! I haven't thought about that band in years.

The PO split with Grails has one super good new song along the lines of P0 #3 (except with way busier guitars!) and one song that is some weird slowed down jam ala Guillotine which is kind of a let down after that first song but still interesting, a real head scratcher. I need to spend more time with it.

liam fennell, Wednesday, 17 April 2013 11:58 (1 month ago) Permalink

the ektroverde tape is fun! I like giardino as well.

sounds like I need to hear that split since #3 is easily my favorite PO. trying to imagine busy guitars on top of that ultra-minimal sound...

(⊙_⊙?) (Alan N), Wednesday, 17 April 2013 15:19 (1 month ago) Permalink

The PO is really cool! Leppanen and the two brother guitar guys, one left channel and one right, really own it. Someone put the first song up on youtube I guess:

The second song might not be slowed down, I did a close listen and it's possible they might be playing with extreme discipline, ha.

liam fennell, Thursday, 18 April 2013 12:19 (1 month ago) Permalink

I have to say I think Suur-Pori is awesome and totally essential! I don't find it aimless at all, just confusing in the best possible way. If Leppanen wasn't there as an anchor it'd be harder to take but he IS there and so is Janne Tuomi! Good stuff, I can't believe it's 80 minutes long. Still the best and most interesting working band in the world that I know of!

The Ektroverde tape seems to be the complete session of the Music for Supermarket EP, and is indeed fun and charming in a quirky, robotic way.

New Ratto ja Lehtisalo 7" is really great too. Very colorful!!!

liam fennell, Wednesday, 24 April 2013 15:47 (4 weeks ago) Permalink

guess I have to give suur-pori another listen, huh? maybe I just wasn't in the mood?

dug that PO track, thanks for posting.

(⊙_⊙?) (Alan N), Wednesday, 24 April 2013 17:44 (4 weeks ago) Permalink

No prob, Alan. They had put that PO song up on Soundcloud at one point but I guess they took it down after the album came out.

As far as suur-pori I guess it depends on how much you appreciate confusing improvisation, ha. It is something I personally really go in for when the performers have very distinct personalities like these guys! I listened with headphones and had a lot of fun but I did only listen to only one side of the cassette at a time. The whole thing is indeed a bit much for one sitting!

Maybe it's worth listening for the percussionist's contribution, he is always adding subtle color, and also the work of the mixer guy. The latter is very active in shaping the overall sound and adding the effects (they never had effect pedals the times I've caught them live at least.)

liam fennell, Wednesday, 24 April 2013 18:23 (4 weeks ago) Permalink

yup, I'm definitely into improv, so I'll listen again soon and hone in on the percussion. ;-) I honestly don't remember much about it at this point (only listened once) except that I found it a bit too 'jammy' for my tastes.

also recently spun the second ratto ja lehtisalo record for the first time and it's been on high rotation ever since. pretty killer. love all the percussive vocal stuff on it.

(⊙_⊙?) (Alan N), Wednesday, 24 April 2013 19:26 (4 weeks ago) Permalink

I know, right! Glad you checked it out. That Ratto ja Lehtisalo is so neglected and so fascinating. The typewriter song is so funny. And also the one that is like "jue jue, ou ou ou, knock knock, push push, bebopaloolaloolaloola" is just out of this world with the goofy chanting contrasted by the kind of sacred church atmosphere!

Did you ever hear their side of the split 12" they did with Reverend Bizarro? So great, along the same lines vocally as the 2nd album but with motorik Leppanen drumming, electric guitar & synthesizers!

liam fennell, Thursday, 25 April 2013 14:24 (3 weeks ago) Permalink

no, I'd never heard this until just now, but wow, I love it!

(⊙_⊙?) (Alan N), Thursday, 25 April 2013 14:48 (3 weeks ago) Permalink

and yeah, the typewriter and "knock, knock, push, push" tracks are both hilarious and great!

(⊙_⊙?) (Alan N), Thursday, 25 April 2013 14:50 (3 weeks ago) Permalink

listening again, and although they don't sound awfully similar, this one definitely reminds me of pharoah overlord #3. both lps strip things down about as far as they reasonably can and this intense focus really makes individual elements pop out. the impact of sounds interacting magnifies and becomes a lot of fun for the listener to follow and the introduction of new elements gets more dramatic as well.

(⊙_⊙?) (Alan N), Thursday, 25 April 2013 16:31 (3 weeks ago) Permalink

It's always a happy day when a new package from Aquarius shows up on my desk with new Circle. This time I picked up Manner on CD (already had the vinyl, but hey) and the Golem/Vesilirto reissue. Particularly excited for the latter, as I've not heard that one at all yet.

i kant believe it's not buffon (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Wednesday, 1 May 2013 19:54 (3 weeks ago) Permalink

The Manner, Golem/Vesiliirto and Horn reissues are all essential! The bonus tracks on the latter two are pretty unexciting, though. Jon, if you get a chance let us know what you make of G/V, it's pretty confusing stuff! I find the Vesiliirto disc in particular pretty rewarding with the manic clockwork drumming, bass noodling and strange swirling freak out space organ.

I agree about the POs, Alan. I always thought #3 was super skeletal, it is so stark and high contrast. Maybe the artwork also reinforced this reading! They just sound so great as a band unit. The timbre of the drums and the bass is so delicious. Focused. And the guitars are so very insistent and tastefully stripped down. I also love how you can hear the minute mistakes, a stray missed drum hit or a single dead guitar note, they don't go back and overdub everything to perfection, they get a great performance and let it breathe and live - in high fidelity!

The two guitar playing brothers are pretty interesting on the newer Circle and PO albums, they aren't so rigid/disciplined and they often improvise and let their guitars get all tangled together in a very organic way. Which is part of the fun in listening to Suur-Pori. They work in unison. I don't know if they are actually twins, but they sound like twins. You can't really tell them apart, kind of like when the Beach Boy brothers harmony sing together. It is a cool dynamic!

liam fennell, Thursday, 2 May 2013 12:04 (2 weeks ago) Permalink

2 weeks pass...

Heh, I've only had a chance to spin G/V once so far, but right now I'm slightly preferring the studio stuff - there is a nice jazz vibe going on that I really love.

Speaking of Pharoah Overlord, I swung by a shop yesterday afternoon and picked up not only the Horn reissue, but also CD copies of #3 and #4! I was pretty excited to find 'em all at once.

i kant believe it's not buffon (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 20 May 2013 20:54 (2 days ago) Permalink

Ha, you're going to have a lot of fun with that haul! Cool shop! The ersatz metal of #4 might not line up with most people's tastes but I sure think it's a blast.

liam fennell, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 11:42 (Yesterday) Permalink

Well I've heard both #3 and #4 before, just happy to finally have copies of each.

i kant believe it's not buffon (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 21 May 2013 13:57 (Yesterday) Permalink


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