MALADY

Malady from Finland released its first LP on the SVART label in 2015, presenting to the public its analogue sounding retro-prog with influences of early Camel, Meddle-era Pink Floyd and probably seventies Finnish groups like Haikara and Wigwam. By recording the album the authentic way the band reaches a sound that does actually sound like the real thing - an album recorded in the early seventies - but it als greatly diminishes the mixing possibilities. The album does offer a lot for fans of the retro subgenre; great melodic guitars, soft psychedelic rock landscapes, warm organs and some nice echoey fuzz guitars. The singing in the Finnish language adds to the obscurity feel, though the vocals aren't a particular highlight on this release. The album has some great musical themes, chord progressions and solo's, but it all feels like it is (live) performed rather hastily; a mistake that almost every starting band would make back in the seventies. My guess is that this album will charm a lot of people despite its flaws, but I myself would recommend listening to their more mature 2018 follow-up record 'Toinen Toista' first. I wouldn't be at all surprised at all if this band will one day release a great retro-prog album like Jordso's Nattfiolen (2019), so fans of this genre should keep a close eye on this band.