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Paavoharju

The finns do it again! It's simply incredible to see the number of interesting artists that come out of that country. Every other month a new band or artist pops up, worthy of the world's attention. Not that there aren't any interesting artists coming from other countries, but when you consider and compare the size of the population to say the States and the amount of underground music that comes out of both, Finland becomes a force to be reckoned with. So to saunas, forestry and cellular phones, you can add underground folk-psych music to the country's main exports. Many important labels have helped promote these artists including 267 Lattajjaa, Outa and of course Fonal. Paavoharju are the little unexpected wiz kids from Fonal. Like most of what comes out on the label, I'm sure no one expected them to get so much exposure.

These guys were a success right from the start. How could they not be? Their music incorporated everything which makes an experimental pop group mesmerizing: ambient soundscapes, glitchy distortion, folk instruments, addictive melodies, weird noises... and that voice! Jenni Koivistoinen's vocals account for half of the group's uniqueness. With a simple cascading note, she can transport the listener from the forest and lakes of her native Finland to the busy streets of Bombay. There's something magical about the group's ability to mix and match their experimental and pop side and still manage to make their music feel timeless, international and accessible to anyone who enjoys different music. There is supposedly a strong christian theme or influence on their music and lyrics, but unless you speak finnish, I doubt it will be apparent to you.

Sami of Fonal records offered the CD to me when I interviewed him for a film I was making about Pekka Airaksinen back in 2005 (the two had played live together). Thanks Sami for letting me hear this gem!

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