27102004 - Here's a translation of the Kuolleen Musiikin Yhdistys -review. It was translated by the author himself. ->
Jumala is a fresh Finnish project that makes original-sounding free-improvisation music. Their debut album contains collections of sounds (one couldn't honestly call them "constructions") made with acoustic media - but without resembling the works of any well-known pioneers of the field. The most easily recognized elements are a squealing flute, short shouts and several muted background clangs (some being drums, others more primitive instruments). The best way to describe the material would be to call it "one third off-key free-form jazz, one third fully acoustic noise, and one third fooling around."
After listening through the record a couple of times the tracks slowly start opening up, and their thin noisiness becomes impressive. For example, the second track, Kevätjäillä, has at its end a segment of excellent, serious and harsh noise music, as long as the listener can get past his prejudices about the instruments used to make it. The same goes for many other tracks, whenever the generally goofing attitude doesn't too obviously shine through. The furious screams work surprisingly well, and convey the songs' state of mind very well to the audience. Especially Aja Se Pois - excluding a few segments - a good example of how to use screaming as an effective element above a noise layer. Similarly the short text clips of the record's best track, the nine-minute Muistatko Ensi Kerran, strike with an undeniable force from the midst of the sonic mixture. And at the end an interesting contrast to all other weirdness is created by the almost too easy Vaaleiden Impien Kirmaus, a nicely balanced song that shows definite instrument-playing skills. It cleverly hints at the experimentation being a conscious choice and not just something resulting from the artists not being able to make "proper" music. That made at least myself respect the rest of the stuff on the album a lot more than I would otherwise have.
At its best Jumala is very impressive anarchistic avant-garde, but it's unfortunately far too easy to pass by as just atonal foolery. The band's sound range thus requires more precision, as well as a productional polish that would convey that it is (if it at all really is) a serious avant-garde project and not only trickery. At this point Jumala can be called a very interesting but also (in the wrong way) irritating experience.
-Jiituomas, Kuolleen Musiikin Yhdistys
11102004 - A new review at Foxy Digitalis -> review
23092004 - A new review. Unfortunately it's only in Finnish, but I'll try to find some time to translate it. It can be found at the pages of Kuolleen Musiikin Yhdistys. Here's a direct link: arvio.
00082004 - Here's a translation of a review of the Jumala cdr made by Jaakob Karhu. The original can be found here. If you understand Finnish, please read the original, instead of the lousy translation made by us.
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God saves
”Rarely have I heard worse music (quality of the sound left aside). The piece consists of amateurish fooling around and radiates unintelligence and nasty atmosphere”.
This is how Jumala’s selftitled cd-r –release has been reviewed at the Suomijazz (Finnish jazz) forum. I’ll admit it: that’s how it pretty much sounds like if you listen to the mp3-samples provided by the Raivo & Rypäs -recordlabel at their website. Luckily I’ve learned ages ago that there’s two things you shouldn’t trust: 1) music samples found in the Internet and 2) music reviews made by jazzpeople.
The band itself defines it’s music as either free jazz or free improvisation. I myself would rather choose the latter, since in jazz, no matter how free or not, there’s a musical agreement of sorts to be followed. I reckon that the reason why misters W. J. Joutsenkanerva and V.Sänki have decided to call Jumala’s music jazz, has just mostly been to provoke. This is backed by the way how they have frequently commented in some of the forums in the Internet (among others the previously mentioned Suomijazz-forum). This I do not mean as a negative point. On the contrary, in my opinion, sometimes certain parties are to be deliberately provoked.
Jumala's record consists of eight tracks taking up to 46 minutes. As the basic structure there’s a more or less freely jolting percussion backing, on top of which various recorders or harmonica scream and howl. There’s also a bit of human voice included that sounds like the evening prayers of a 15 or something year old school boy before passing out.
I must admit, the tracks mostly do the trick. They manage to create an atmosphere, sometimes surprisingly tight, and isn’t that just what music should essentially be about? In addition the compositions (or improvisations) function specifically in the album context, which I always appreciate. Jumala’s album has been logically compiled and it’s high points are evenly in the beginning, the middle and the end. That way there’s no lapse in the listeners interest and attention. From the whole the first and the last track stand out because of their different style and feeling. The first track ”Nousemus” (Ascension) is like a demented church hymn, that nevertheless manages to increase it’s tension to the very end. Ending track ”Vaaleiden impien kirmaus” (The prance of the fair maidens) is downright funny and sounds just like the title suggests.
All in all Jumala is a positive surprise and I wait eagerly, will the duo be releasing more material. It seems you can listen to these fellows live at Forum Box in Helsinki, visit if you are willing and able.
- Jaakob Karhu.
(translated by VS)