VIRTA

Just as expected. "Horros" was released as the third full-length album by a Finnish post-rock commune VIRTA. Already their musical talent was explosively blossomed just as their second album "Hurmos" launched in 2016 and we 'VIRTAnians' have looked forward to their next gem for about 7 years. Our expectations have risen up when their new single "Turmoli" was out in early 2023 (please refer to my humble review of the single), and finally in the autumn of the same year, our dream came true. Like some authentic Finnish post-rock combos, they greatly mix psychedelic basements with dark, inorganic electronic aromas and sorta sharp-edged (but heartwarming) anarchism. The previous opus is produced with a perfect blend of sounds, so it's natural for us to get driven mad by their latest one. The first air bomb "Aelita" tells us all mentioned above.

Quite appropriate for the prologue of this album is "Aelita", that features electronic quietness, complicated percussive rhythm innovations, solemn echoic chorus, and smooth enthusiastic saxophone solos. The instrumental combinations always call majestic surrealistic landscapes through our inner mind. The very last depressive sound vaporization is also dreamy. In "Tunneli" fantastic and addictive is every dissonant guitar-oriented sound miracle as well. Simple but energetic constructions of melody lines, and psychic mindful atmospheres are vivid and vivacious too. The following "Sola" reminds us of some similar veins to oriental tribalism via saxophone and percussion sounds. Electronicity beneath the song, enough for their own style, makes us feel something immersive to their experimentalism. Such an experimental creativity can be heard through the fourth track "Millennium" consisting of speedy rhythmical percussion attacks and saxophone-based passions. Pretty interesting are spoken words like 'an announcement in a Japanese train' in the middle part. The melody lines are not only complex nor fickle but also delicate and comfortable.

Another flowering, birds chirping and children laughing. In "Toukokuu" (May in English) lots of sound effects are effective around percussive enjoyments and talkative electric guitar playings. A short but fruitful one really. And guess they would say the blue sky is pretty deep and bright, and especially good for our overworked eyes in the next "Sininen". Repetitive melodic baselines express the magnificent blue sky is enormous and limitless all over. Without any breathing, "Tuuli Nousee" blows cool clean winds along with fresh keyboard streams, strictly precise but mysteriously humane percussion taps, melty guitar kisses, and slightly blunt saxophone tips. Sound faintness in the last scene is mystic too. On the other hand, "Karhu" is another mystery. Just like a pop candy, it makes our mouth sweet and happy. Such catchy, acceptable phrases in the former part of "Karhu", unsuitable for their musical style, can be heard via e.g. Japanese traditional folk music or so, but the middle occasion explodes massive postrock kicks. The epilogue "Aamu", that gets started with psychedelic repetitive phrases like Tubular Bells, should demonstrate true, serious values combined with vague electronicity, lingering chorus and synthesizer sounds, dramatic percussion, and totally crossover sound motivations.

Again let me say, bravo just as expected. Why cannot we call this kinda "appassionato"?

Confusion and harmony - in this track, the ambivalent atmospheric elements live together. This "Tunneli" was released precedently as a single cut of their upcoming album "Horros" in March 2023. Their second album "Hurmos" is so splendid enough for me to get immersed in Finnish post rock'scene again (e.g. Baulta, Horte, Kairon; IRSE!,, Kakaokamkami), and needless to say, this "Tunneli" keeps such a mystic, energetic atmosphere on. Mysteriously complicated but solemnly acceptable percussion sounds in the beginning, fantastic lingering chorus like a kaleidoscopic aurora in the Finnish cold air and black sky, repetitive psychic melody lines, and mindful vibes to demolish the current tough situation all over the world ... Every single essence is really fascinating. Dissonant guitar sounds are also powerful and grab our heart strictly. The musical structure of this song is quite simple and favourable but there is kinda strong intention and soul of three Virters deeply in it. Cannot wait for their upcoming album to be released maybe in the near future.

6th February, 2023: Virta - Hurmous (post/jazz-rock, 2016)

Ever since Norwegian group 1099 hooked me with their sax-infused crescendocore, jazzy post-rock has been a bit of a favourite microgenre for me, and Virta are definitely the best exponents of it that I've found since then. This is fairly within the lines of third-wave post-rock - emotional chord progressions, big tremolo-picked leads, intense drum performances and a general sense of good-but-predictable. What raises this above good and into great is not only the jazz, but the influence from electronic and ambient music. The jazz here is more Amon Tobin or Flying Lotus than it is John Coltrane, particularly with the skittery percussion on a few tracks. There's a jazziness to the post-rock melodies too, which is something that always stood out about 1099 as well - it feels like many of the lines are born from a jazz perspective but played with rock instruments, as there's a much clearer melodic sense to some of these leads. This is definitely one of my favourite recent instrumental albums, within genre or not, and is further proof that adding saxophone always yields better results.

8.0 (6th listen)

Part of my listening diary from my facebook blog: www.facebook.com/TheExoskeletalJunction

Another super-promising diverse post-rock new wave from Finland. VIRTA were founded as an experimental trio in Helsinki for launching post-rock blended with jazz, electronic, or ambient. This opus "Hurmos" was released in 2016 as their second full-length album, which features full of various, colourful appearances of musical collective. Recently it's true that lots of wonderful combos or projects are in Finnish post rock / psychedelic progressive scene, and such a fantastic act have added a bright contribution into the Finnish rock dictionary.

Actually I don't like to write a comment for every single track in an album, but it would be good for me to do so this time because of their musical diversity and eclecticism. The great departure "Aallot" has complicated but impressive electronic dissipative structure and sensitive and sensual long-acting ambience. Enough for the audience to get immersed into the stuff straightforwardly. And the following heroic action "About To Fly" involves wondrous catchy but slightly infernal melody lines and trumpet-oriented jazz-coloured disclosure. Non-simplified trumpet play reminds me of sorta homage for Herb Alpert or so. The instrumental song itself is quite cool and dry, but we cannot avoid feeling massive passion in it.

In "Time Travel" are lots of constructive features e.g. mysterious atmospheric electronika, mourning guitar fuzzes, complex rhythmic structure. This track will let us enjoy traveling abroad or in another dimension under such a tough situation. "Härmä" can be called as a kind of post-rock-textured free jazz drenched in electronic weirdness. But why doesn't it catch our heart violently? A mixture of drastic offensive approaches and listener-friendly pop essence is superb. On the other hand, cute percussive synthesizer plays and catchy heartwarming melodic fantasy are dancing on "The Landing" wonderland.

"Uni" is a slowtempo, crazy downer calm, but enthusiastic one, featuring dry-fruity trumpet acceleration and dissonant guitar exclamation. This tricky combination should be pretty impressive, innovative. On the contrary, the last spurt "On The Run" is ultimately an uptempo, delightful, and explosive epilogue. Slightly exaggerating but clear, edgy synthesizer-oriented sound crystals are fine and delicious. Such a powerful, energetic creativity definitely encourages us.

Finally let me say that it would be a shame I have not known such a fascinating creation for about five years. Highly recommended yes.