QUMMA CONNECTION

Qumma Connection is a Finnish project led by Qumma = Rami Talja, who makes also visual art and graphic designs -- such as these album covers. Qumma's instruments are Warr guitar and Stick bass, and he's played also on albums of the prog group Contemporary Dead Finnish music Ensemble. Qumma is joined by Pate Kivinen (keyboards), Tuukka Helminen (cello), Pasi Rupponen (drums, percussion) and Marika Liuski (voice). Female voice is used in a wordless, instrument-like manner here and there; we still can talk of basically instrumental music.

Qumma Connection's first album Arabesque (2008) concentrated on the riff-centred and rather dark-toned angularity reminding of the latter-day KING CRIMSON. Liuski guested for one track, in which she sang properly with lyrics. Especially Arabesque doesn't really sound like Neo Prog at all, perhaps Eclectic Prog would fit better. This second album progresses logically from its predecessor, sounding a little bit more open and melodic -- or, shall we say, less UNmelodic -- and thus approaching the Neo-ish, modern, shiny sound with less focus on the low tones of Warr guitar. Another good thing is that Maikki Liuski's voice is heard on several tracks. For the Finnish audience she may be remembered from the semi-prog rock group Five Fifteen (not on PA) that was active mostly in the 90's.

Intensive 'Hysteria' starts the album powerfully. The combo rocks hard but the track contains chorus-like sections softened by chant-like vocals. On 'Euforia' the keyboards are relatively central, giving me an association of GOBLIN or FM. The melody soars majestically, and on more delicate moments the cello gets a special attention. 'Control' has a Crimsonesquely angular guitar riff going on, while cello adds melodies and the vocalese part brings a shamanistic flavour.

The title track is relatively spacey despite the ongoing riff, and especially the cello sounds fine. Nice dynamics on this one, and on several other tracks as well, but the album as a whole could have bigger variety between the tracks, for example by having pieces totally oriented to more delicate playing. The beginning of 'Shining Bright Black Part II' is a ghostly mix of synths and a synthetic male voice, which (deliberately?) is associated with the artificial intelligence HAL going crazy in "2001 Space Odyssey", and I would have preferred the entire track staying synths-only. 'Ra Sole' uses a lot of Mellotron-sounding keyboards. At times this 8-minute composition approaches freaky jamming. The more fast-paced and restless 'Demonia' also contains heavy layers of retro- sounding keyboards. The final track 'Hymn of the Extinct Volcano' does have a hymn-like spirit, but with a rather noisy and sharp soundscape.

As a counterpoint to all the intensity and angularity there are also slightly softer moments to make Unique a rewarding album of instrumental [eclectic] prog. 3½ stars rounded up for good-looking graphics.

Actually I think the categorizing into Neo-Prog is quite misleading with QUMMA [CONNECTION] from Finland, though there may not be any clearly better categories either. Eclectic Prog? Hmm, in what way this is eclectic? The most frequent comparison is the later KING CRIMSON, especially the era featuring guitarist Trey Gunn (that I hopefully know just enough to agree totally... never found much interest really). The music is instrumental, slightly dark and threatening, not very melodic. In a word, Crimsonesque. Qumma's - that's the pseudonym of the leader Rami Talja - warr guitar and fretless bass are in the centre.

'Talisman' opens the album in a spacey manner before the rhythm section enters. It reminds me somehow of the 70's instrumental tracks of THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT. 'Bacchanals' sounds true to its name, a bit sinister, and distorted on the warr guitar parts. Too monotonous for my taste, even with the vocal howls at the background. 'Elegy' is more delicate and contains also brighter sounds. The 8-minute 'Solar Flares' is approaching electronic space music. If Robert Fripp collaborated with some German group such as Cluster, and Parsons was at the producer's seat, it might sound like this. Well, the track wouldn't need to be so long... After one throwaway track, 'Message from Stardust' continues on the same path. In the beginning and near the end there are astronauts' voices. Nice drum programming and wailing guitar/synth sounds. 'Spirit One' is more lively on the drums but again the music is hollow in the melodic sense.

Nearly 11-minute 'My Tears Are So Small in the Universe' ("dedicated for mom and dad") is emotionally deeper than the album as a whole. Pate Kivinen who plays keyboards on Qumma Connection's albums (not on this one) is responsible of voice programs on this track. Distant female voice. This ambient track proceeds very slowly, building the melancholic atmosphere. Hmm, maybe TOO sparse soundscape to remain intyeresting all the way. The angelic cover art suits for it at least, if not exactly for the rest. All in all, a bit cold album of which you don't remember much of anything afterwards, but very well produced and worth checking out if my musical references sound promising.

PS. Hopefully my decision to add this under Qumma Connection is not disagreed by anyone. The difference between the two proceeding albums is not that big.

Qumma is the pseundonym of Finnish guitarist Rami Talja, member of Contemporary Dead Finnish Music Ensemble.He established Qumma Connection in Helsinki around 2005, after jamming with his Warr guitar along with drummer Pasi Rupponen.The next in line to join the band were keyboardist Pate Kivinen and cellist Tuukka Helminen of Alamaailman Vasarat fame.In 2008 an all instrumental self-produced album was released by the band under the title ''Arabesque''.

The sound of Qumma Connection is quite personal with Talja measuring the possibilities of Warr guitar, eventually coming up with series of frenetic grooves, spacey textures and melodic lines.Actually the first pair of tracks seems to be also the more melodic compositions of the album, combining the MARILLION-esque atmospheric guitar soundscapes with a rhythmic guitar power, while the good use of cello and keyboards make these pieces trully unique.From this point on Qumma Connection resemble more to a Finnish KING CRIMSON with TREY GUNN on guitars.Lots of twists, noisy grooves and impressive attacking riffs blend with light pianos, smooth atmospheric organ, melancholic cello and discreet synths in more experimental forms of Prog music, though the emphatic breaks and some more easy-going themes are also added for good measure.Towards the end of the album we meet also the longest tracks of ''Arabesque'', which do not sound as tight as the previous tracks.''Panic Attack'' suffers from a very long introduction full of sampled sounds and effects (actually it lasts more than half of the track's length) before the bursting Warr guitar of Talja leads into an aggressive and fully energetic groove with cello supporting.''Jamais Vu'' is more of the same, again a long intro is followed by dynamic guitar rhythmic parts, but on this track the interesting melodies, the really great piano and the more grandiose textures reappear to offer the listener another nice listening experience.The closing ''Petite Mort'' is a huge surprise.A spacey, almost Soundtrack-like soundscape full of elegant female vocals, dreamy flute and depressive strings will just conclude that Qumma Connection is not just another band in the mess.

''Arabesque'' is a really great and personal debut.A couple of weaker cuts and the extreme use of similar guitar grooves may hurt the album a bit, but be sure to face a unique-sounding group in this album, which is also 100% Prog.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

Finnish band QUMMA CONNECTION is based around composer, musician, photographer and graphic artist Qumma, and the foundations for this part of his musical expressions was laid following a jam session he had with drummer Pasi Rupponen in 2005, the ideas improvised there soon demanding to be given a creative outlet. This has resulted in two albums so far: "Unique" from 2010 is the second of those.

If you have a general taste for art rock and a fancy for becoming familiar with a band making their musical journeys into some of the less populated parts of this realm, Qumma Connection might have crafted an album you'll appreciate with "Unique". The album is aptly named, and while perhaps not adhering to the principles of the most adventurous progressive rock bands, their sophisticated, eclectic approach should have a general appeal to liberal=minded art rock aficionados.

Finnish band QUMMA CONNECTION is based around composer, musician, photographer and graphic artist Qumma, and the foundations for this part of his musical expressions was laid following a jam session he had with drummer Pasi Rupponen in 2005, the ideas improvised there soon demanding to be given a creative outlet. This has resulted in two albums so far: "Arabesque" from 2008 the first of these.

"Arabesque" is an eclectic creation that provides plenty of musical joy for the sophisticated art rock fan. Although the initial efforts may not be the most daring nor inspiring, this is a CD that steadily grows better and more interesting as it unfolds, and it does explore stylistic territories featuring details not too many others have tried investigating, the role of the cello and Warr guitar most notable in that respect, instrumentally and compositionally. Art rock fans who fancy a slice of music made with finesse and a sense of adventure above the ordinary might just want to take this on, and if you like King Crimson there's a good chance that you'll find the material at hand to be interesting.