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Pekka Pohjola - Space Waltz CD (album) cover

SPACE WALTZ

Pekka Pohjola

 

Jazz Rock/Fusion

3.47 | 39 ratings

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Progbear
Prog Reviewer
4 stars Following two albums with his new band, including the slightly awkward transitional album URBAN TANGO and the TV movie soundtrack EVERYMAN, Pohjola again sees a somewhat shifting cast of characters playing alongside him. Actually, it's more or less the same band, but this album sees the welcome return of the great Seppo Tyni on guitar.

This album was quite a bright spot in the dark 1980's. Nobody made synthesizers sound like an outer-space symphony orchestra like Pekka Pohjola does here. Everyone else was trying to make Fairlights and DX7's sound like real instruments, but here the synthesizers are used to make, well, synthesizer sounds! The result is something that is utterly unique, that doesn't sound married to the time it was made. So while other albums from 1985 have aged horribly, this one transcends its date.

The set of songs is one of my favourite. "Cat Boulevard" is actually a somber reworking of the old Wigwam track "P.K.'s Supermarket" (from FAIRYPORT). "American Carousel" is a shimmering and sparkly tune, perfect for opening the album. The title track is one of those fun "fast motion" Pohjola numbers, while the epic "Risto" gradually builds and builds to an enthusiastic climax. Tyni really comes into his own here, with some of his most emotionally affecting playing. It ends on a gentle note with the meditative "Changing Waters".

Of his 80's albums, this one is the strongest I've heard thus far. A simply excellent record that epitomizes all that is good about Pekka Pohjola.

Progbear | 4/5 |

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