XIII

Nurkostam is a relatively underground young neo-prog formed in Finland in 1998. The band's first seven years of existence were spent playing live and developing their unique sound. The band blended countless influences, ranging from the psychedelic prog rock expanses of Pink Floyd to the symphonic graces of Yes to the experimental nature of King Crimson to the alternative rock tastes of Pearl Jam. What comes out is an eclectic blend of experimental melodic alt rock and minimalist melodic neo-prog. In 2005, the band released their debut EP, XIII, a collection of six compositions the band crafted during their seven year existence. The songs reflect their diverse background very well, with influences straining to make appearances all throughout the music. The EP is a solid start for the band, as they find a great sound as well as a solid style of compositions.

The EP begins with what seems like an upbeat, alt-rock driven experimental rock track, which got me psyched for what was to come next. I was surprised, as this opener, "Iscream," has little to nothing to do with the rest of the EP's music. The music segues from style to style, touching all their eclectic influences while still holding down the fort with a steady sound surrounding each of the songs. Although much of the music seems rather uninspired and traditional, the music has a pleasant, melancholic, and overall subtly soothing quality to it. The band melds a quiet, simple atmosphere to let their music dwell in peace, as the compositions were meant to do.

The production of the album is surprisingly very good; it is surprising because of the malady that plagues countless independent bands' debuts is terrible production, and Nurkostam seems to have dodged that bullet (although their debut full length seems to have caught the plague). The music is mixed in a way corollary to the mood of the music, with a subtle, poignant mix of the keyboards and bass slightly louder than the drums and guitar to create a subtly haunting yet alluring atmosphere about the music - very fine stuff from these young Finnish musicians.

Overall, this EP is a very good introduction to the band Nurkostam, and seeing as it is the official introduction, the band has done its job and delivered a promising debut. As it turns out they seem to only regress in the professional and compositional side of their music. However, we can still enjoys the fruits of their 2005 EP; and although it is short, the band has done a fine job of producing good eclectic neo-progressive rock. 3+ stars.

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