ARPEGGIO

Environmental recordings from public events greet the listener, facing hypnotic electronic loopings from another mysterious incarnation of Rättö, Lehtisalo and their musician friends. The precise drumming unites smoothly with synthesizer loops and allows perspective to plastic sceneries of industrial landscapes. Funky bass tones are round, and overall feeling of the record is quite optimistic and hectic with the constant movement within the minimal schemes. I liked personally most the relaxed lounging of song "Interpol", slightly reminding tones remembered from Taipuva Luotisuora's concerts. Also the ambiences from 1980's Tangerine Dream recordings could be one reference from my limited perception. Technically a fine recording, but aesthetically not matching my own tastes of listening. Though I enjoyed this kind of sound realms much on the group's previous work on a film, the loss of further impulse dimensions leave me alone with my own inner desires, and create a conflict of these two different worlds clashing in an unfruitful manner. Friends of fresher monotonic electronic music should check this record out, I personally ventured for their monumental "Ukkossalama" album, which in my opinion changed the musical approach from this Circle project band completely.

EKTROVERDE is a Finnish group related (in the line-up sense) to the better known CIRCLE (misters Lehtisalo and Rättö play in both), and to VERDE, Mika Rintala's one-man group. And of course Mika Rättö is known also from MOON FOG PROPHET / KUUSUMUN PROFEETTA. Ektroverde seems to be the jazziest one of these groups. The very groovy - and really excellent - drumming forms the basement which other instruments build on. In many ways this instrumental music is resembling the legendary German band CAN. Hypnotically repetitive, bouncy, hilarious, highly skillful, off the wall. Probably way too unusual for an untrained pair of pop-consuming ears, but full of unique charm for a small audience. Of course it may as well leave you cold and bored.

As I'm originally writing this on paper, I don't remember the PA subgenre and can only guess what it might be. Jazz Rock / Fusion? Maybe too repetitive for that. And surely too accessible for RIO. Krautrock, then? Or perhaps Psychedelic / Space Rock, like CIRCLE? (So, it was that one, even though it actually doesn't say much about the nature of this music.)

The six tracks of this album would be hard to describe individually without repeating oneself. They may be very similar in style to each other, but as they sound so good, the whole album stays fairly enjoyable and fresh all the way. Sometimes the sound partly approaches Electronic Music, but the organic groove and rhythm never fails.

I was prepared not to like this music at all (even the cover design, a duller cousin to the cover of FAUST IV, is very untempting). I was happily surprised.

Arpeggio is Ektroverde's tightest and most focused album. That may or may not be due to it being released by Bad Vugum label who had a very strict release policy that didn't allow idling on their releases.

The music here is simple and repetitive very much in the vein of Can and Neu. Drums (sometimes combined with electronic percussion and/or drum machine) and bass create a more or less motorik groove. Tasteful guitars, plenty of keyboards and the odd sound effect, synth or field recording bit here and there are added on top of it. The second track "Puuttuva" ("missing") takes a detour via Canterbury with its nimble bass riff and jazzy electric piano. In fact a lot of the keyboards have Canterbury vibe on other tracks as well. Sound is excellent throughout and production gives plenty of space for all instruments. There's a good feeling all through the album, the kind of warm summer night ambience.

The album starts really good, but due to repetitive music, it gets slightly boring towards the end even though it's under 40 minutes long. Still, I won't hesitate to recommend this to fans of the mentioned Can and Neu, as well as those interested in Finnish experimental music underground.