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OCTOPIE

Crossover Prog • Finland


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Octopie picture
Octopie biography
Helsinki based Octopie is a unique sounding group that brings the best of progressive sounds up to date. The band's distinctive sound wells from their urge to craft the sound with their own principles.

In 2010 when two friends were discussing music, it's current situation and it's future and they realized: even today, in this cold, modern age there is still room for good and authentic progressive rock that truly comes from the soul.

They developed this idea and the next year they spent composing material that took a lot of influence from the golden era of progressive rock of the 70's and the psychedelia of the 60's, and added a breath of fresh air and new ideas into the mix. They started gathering a group that felt equally about the music and would be willing to hop on and take part in the journey to come. In 2011-2012 they found a solid line-up. They started recording their debut album, 'Fresh from the Oven', which was released in summer 2012 with high praise. They started playing at local venues in Helsinki and received lots of positive energy and feedback that would keep the group pushing forward.

In 2012-2013 the group wanted to exceed the expectations of their fanbase. They founded their headqurters in an old cabin in the beautiful woods of Kuninkaanmäki where they started writing, rehearsing and recording new material for their follow-up release. From these sessions emerged their self-titled EP, Octopie EP.

Soon after releasing their EP, they started working on a concept album, The Adventure of Harry and Walrus Kane, that eventually took two years to finish. In the meantime the group founded a studio and a music production company called Khatru Music, through which they released their album. The future looks very bright for this talented group of musicians and only time will tell what the future entails.

Biography provided by the artist and used with permission

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OCTOPIE discography


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OCTOPIE top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.41 | 18 ratings
Fresh From The Oven
2012
3.97 | 18 ratings
The Adventure of Harry and Walrus Kane
2015

OCTOPIE Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

OCTOPIE Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

OCTOPIE Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

OCTOPIE Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

4.00 | 21 ratings
Octopie
2013

OCTOPIE Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 The Adventure of Harry and Walrus Kane by OCTOPIE album cover Studio Album, 2015
3.97 | 18 ratings

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The Adventure of Harry and Walrus Kane
Octopie Crossover Prog

Review by Matti
Prog Reviewer

4 stars OCTOPIE is a very skilled Finnish prog quartet with an epic-oriented debut album and an excellent EP preceding this new release. Now they're presenting a full-bred theme album telling a story, or a "rock opera" if you like, in the tradition of Tommy, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway and Snow (though only in 45 minutes unlike those famous double albums). It's about rather surreal and obscure adventures of a protagonist, young man named Harry, who meets a talking walrus and is taken into oceanic adventures crowded with disco pirates, sirens and a whale. All this happens only in Harry's imagination if I'm getting it at all. There's a 24-page supplement with the lyrics and coloured drawings. Well, to be honest, I'd rather ignore the story and take this primarily as a musical work. Which is not to say that the story format wouldn't be essential part of the artistic impression, I'm just not that interested in trying to make much sense of the perplexing plot. Perhaps it's not even meant to be very deep and meaningful?

There are thirteen tracks of relatively short length (six of them under three minutes), but the whole has a feel of a singular epic. In the end it's just a matter of choice if the parts are separate tracks on the CD or sections of longer entities. This album is definitely meant to be listened in its entirety, so that's not an important question here, but I appreciate the track separation: makes it easier to follow, and to skip the irritating falsetto funk of 'Disco Pirates', the only track I don't like.

Vocals of Tom Tamlander (who also plays flute and bass) could be generally criticized as the weak link of this band, as they can be quite over-theatrical (poor man's Freddie Mercury) and amateurish-sounding especially on higher notes, but on this album they function mostly very well. Happily this is not a rock opera in the sense where the multitude of words would be used as a vehicle of narrative. That is, there's a good balance between sung and instrumental parts, and on more delicate sections such as 'A Theme from the Past' the emotional, wailing vocals don't get over the top so easily. The third track 'Into the Vortex' continues the strong beginning of the album with a great, atmospheric instrumental section starring guitar, and later after irritatingly shouty vocal lines there's another solo, this time for a Moog.

The music has a distinctive prog edge that sometimes reminds me of classics such as Thick As A Brick (JETHRO TULL probably being among Octopie's influences, especially for the Barre-like electric guitar). 'Whale Song' has some ZEPPELIN-like Heavy Prog ballad feel. 'Blast Off' is a fast instrumental with a virtuotic jazz-rock approach. 'Child Planet' with its choral parts is very quirky in the vein of QUEEN, 10cc and KLAATU (Hope, 1977), and the following 'Hymn for the Lonely People' is a calm and beautiful piano-centred little acoustic piece in which Tamlander's tender vocals work surprisingly well.

Yes, indeed this album is charmingly eclectic and musically ambitious in a good way. There are some less pleasant moments but that is easily forgiven. The musical competence in this band is among the best in today's Finnish prog, and the bravery of taking risks of sounding too pretentious is always better than doing everything the safest and the most common way. Applause!

 Octopie by OCTOPIE album cover Singles/EPs/Fan Club/Promo, 2013
4.00 | 21 ratings

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Octopie
Octopie Crossover Prog

Review by Matti
Prog Reviewer

4 stars Finnish group Octopie have released one album and one EP- in this unusual order. I haven't yet heard Fresh From The Oven (2012), but hopefully I'll be able to return to that some day. This EP is just under 27 minutes long but definitely worth each minute. For me the less enjoyable factor are the vocals which are a bit over the top, a cross between Robert Smith of The Cure and the US prog band Relayer in their passionate wailing. However the music is strong enough not to be ruined by vocals. And in fact they fit there pretty well. Strong, dramatic, exciting, original - these adjectives come to my mind of this music.

The sound is quite hard rocking, especially in the last song 'It's Time' (for some reason not printed on the back cover) which is the most guitar-oriented and ballsiest track. In 'Departed' the delicious, Tull- reminding flute blends wonderfully with the folky retro prog sound. The mostly instrumental latter half of it is mesmerizing. Slightly slower 'Moths Pt 2' also has a vintage feel. In just seven minutes Octopie manage to include more - from beautiful sound texture to emotional singing to soaring soli, etc - than an average band might luckily reach in double length, and yet the track never feels overloaded. This is retro-style modern prog nearly at its best! A well stirred cocktail of Camel, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd and cocky hard rock could sound something like this, not forgetting the brave, eclectic progressivity.

'Empty Pages' has a hint of blues & funk flavour occasionally, but most of all it's an emotional prog semi-ballad. Even with some things less up to my taste (the vocals, some over-dramatic or ballsy moments) I can say this is probably the best EP I have heard.

 Octopie by OCTOPIE album cover Singles/EPs/Fan Club/Promo, 2013
4.00 | 21 ratings

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Octopie
Octopie Crossover Prog

Review by kev rowland
Special Collaborator Honorary Reviewer

4 stars This is yet another band I came across when I was asked to evaluate them for ProgArchives, and I was quite blown away by this four-track EP. Hailing from Finland, this is their second toe in the water of releasing material, and I can only hope that they will soon be picked up by a label and given the time and resources to record a full-length album as these guys have real promise. They have definitely been listening to 'War Child' era Jethro Tull (and that can never be a bad thing in my book), and although their use of flute is much more clear than the breathy tone often deployed by Mr Anderson, that is not the only thing that reminds me of that period of time with chunky keyboards (including mellotron of course, and Hammond) and a singer in Tom Tamlander who was obviously born in the wrong decade. Here is not a singer who is going to sit quietly in the background, but instead not only sings but really lives what he is doing, putting loads of emotion into everything. Consequently the band have to be on top form to be able to stay the course and they are definitely up for the task.

The music is quite laid-back at times, and has been recorded in a way so that every instrument has plenty of space and the ability to shine but not so distant from each other so that they also have the ability to blend and complement what each is playing. There are long instrumental passages where they all have the chance to take the lead role, and show that many other the classic prog bands have also had an impact on their sound (early Genesis, Gentle Giant, Yes to name a few). Definitely one to keep an eye on, this EP can be streamed from Bandcamp so it is possible to try before you purchase and at only 5 Euros it is a bargain. Www.octopieband.bandcamp.com

 Octopie by OCTOPIE album cover Singles/EPs/Fan Club/Promo, 2013
4.00 | 21 ratings

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Octopie
Octopie Crossover Prog

Review by Second Life Syndrome
Prog Reviewer

4 stars What a quirky little EP! Finland's Octopie is band with daring and courage. Their new EP is a follow-up to their debut album, and I have to admit that it is quite tasty in many different ways, one of them being how different and fresh it sounds. Octopie have personality to spare, and it comes through clearly on this EP.

The band plays an interesting form of prog rock which sounds like a mix of classic rock and symphonic prog. On one hand, they have a very classic rock sound to their guitars, and the bassy grooves they induce, but, on the other hand, they use flute and keys very well, too. The flute is even a mainstay instrument in the first song, and not just a novelty. Thus, the flute can be found in solos, but also in the middle of the instrumentals, just like the guitars. This, honestly, is what really drew my attention. To hear flute used in such a way is just awesome, but to hear flute used this way and actually be masterfully written and beautiful---that is something special.

Tom Tamlander on vocals also sounds very much like 70s rock singers. Not just his tone, mind you, but also his vocal melodies. He forms such a whimsical accompaniment to the music that I start feeling nostalgic for some Hendrix or The Doors. These tones are certainly in there, but Octopie is no copycat.

My favorite two tracks are "Departed" and "Moths". The former is packed with flute and groove, and the the latter is melodious and features some great keys. The other two songs are excellent as well, as "Empty Pages" includes a slow ambiance accented with great guitars and "It's Time" has wonderful groove.

Bassy, rockin', and funky, "Octopie" is worth your time. I hope to hear a full album from this band soon, especially if it features the same great flute and keys.

 Fresh From The Oven by OCTOPIE album cover Studio Album, 2012
3.41 | 18 ratings

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Fresh From The Oven
Octopie Crossover Prog

Review by apps79
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars The discussion around music between two friends from Helsinki, Finland, Tom Tamlander (vocals) and Axel Thesleff (keyboards), during the summer of 2010 led to the formation of this Finnish group.The following year they surrounded themselves with a competitive team, Jere Lehtomaa on guitars, Visa Kivisaari on drums and Lassi Nurminen on bass and the recordings of their debut album begun.''Fresh from the oven'' was digitally released in June 2012.

Octopie claim to have been influenced by bands such as Pink Floyd, Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, Jethro Tull and present their ideas in three long tracks.''Rhymes of Love'' bastardized the first vibes of 70's Progressive Rock with the farewell sound of late-60's Psychedelic Rock and here the band sounds a lot like early PINK FLOYD and SOFT MACHINE with a touch of URIAH HEEP.Smooth guitar playing produces both narcotic and melodic lines, the vocals are pretty great and offer a nostalgic sound next to the calm electric guitars, while there is also some fair amount of electric piano in the process.The later part of this piece offers more energetic music with prominent use of organ and scratching riffs in a Heavy Rock mode.''Hubris Love'' kicks off with an excellent vintage-styled keyboard wave, full of synths, organ and Mellotrons to become a lyrical adventure of electric soundscapes with a slight jazzy edge in the guitar lines and Tamlander in his most theatrical performance.Nice arrangements with again a powerful atmosphere after the middle, which even includes some delicate flute sounds but basically being driven by a strong rhythm section and Lehtomaa's old-school guitar moves.The 11-min. ''Moths (Part 1)'' is a mix of Fusion and Psychedelic Rock, following mostly a hypnotic mood in the opening theme, based on the obscure synth workouts, before explosing into a psychedelic jam of guitars, bass, drums and organ and closing with a symphonic section, characterized by melodramatic vocals, Mellotron and acoustic guitars.

Very good debut, which gets a bit more dramatic than it should at times, but still manages to offer nice retro soundscapes in a slightly personal enviroment.Warmly recommended.

Thanks to kev rowland for the artist addition.

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