ARPEGGIO

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.