Uton for Krautrock

Uton is the long-running improvised free folk project of Finnish multi-instrumentalist Jani Hirvonen (Aan, Pupil Wah, Grykë Pyje), originating in Tampere in 2001 and now based in Turku. For a time, Uton also featured Hirvonen's Aan bandmate Jari-Pekka Koho, the performer behind like-minded act Kulkija. "Like a krautrock band that was left in the forest by it's [sic] parents and raised by wild woodland creatures" - as described by Aquarius Records - Uton reconciles the obscure atmospheres of early Popol Vuh and Kluster, the dark ambience of the Taj Mahal Travellers, Tony Conrad-esque experiments with noise and drones, and cursed prog-electronics a la Coil.

Thematically and aesthetically inspired by occultism, surrealism, Buddhism, esoteric philosophers and increasingly right-wing conspiracy theories, Uton consistently maintains a foreboding, mysterious and trippy mood across a massive discography of over a hundred releases, strewn across labels like Digitalis, Ikuisuus and Hirvonen's own Om Ha Sva Ha Ksha Ma La Va Ra Yam.

Uton comes recommended to fans of Zoviet France, the Nazgûl, Double Leopards, Terracid, Avarus and occasional collaborator Keijo.

Below is an admittedly small sample, but I find them to be the best examples of his sprawling oeuvre (after eleven years of listening I've only heard about eighty albums  - he's consistent, at least):

"Straight Edge XXS" (2008)

"Echoes in the Wonderland" (2012)

"Rustic & Recycled" (2012)

"Kun Korallit Puhuvat Pilville" (2012)

"Mana Aurora" (2016)