UTU

Finnish band UTU have existed in one variation or another since sometime around 2005, and the band itself notes 2007 as something of a formative year of their ensemble. They have released three studio albums to date. "Pieces of the Unknown" dates back to 2016, and is their second album. Since then they have also released one further album, "Russian Poets".

Music has traditionally been considered as one of the art forms rather than as mere entertainment, and Finnish band Utu showcase that it is still possible to create music that by most listeners will be perceived and experienced as art rather than entertainment on this production. A production that may well find favor among fans of bands such as Bent Knee, despite exploring rather different landscapes in a markedly different manner: Bent Knee being the exponents of a modern sound and approach to a type of music where Utu represents the shapes and forms looking back to times rather more ancient.

The third album of the Finnish art-rock group UTU has a special background story to it. Three years ago the singer-songwriter Petra Poutanen was deeply moved by a painting in a museum in Helsinki. She wrote the first song 'Melancholy' inspired by that painting of a wintery forest and dark water. Also the rest of the nine songs were inspired by other art forms, the most notable source of inspiration being Russian writer Andrei Platonov. But the band didn't stop there. When they had an albumful of music, they invited [mostly visual] artists of various kind to be inspired by the songs. The release gig of Russian Poets, held in Tampere- house in November 2017, was linked to the opening of the art exhibition. A book was made too, containing both the visual arts and the music CD.

I have reviewed here both preceding UTU albums (released in 2012 and 2016). Sadly there aren't many other reviews, although their English-language music would be equally suitable for international market, as I've said before. The style can still be described as melancholic, atmospheric and richly nuanced underneath the slightly minimalistic surface. Lots of introspective emotions going on in Petra's songs and singing. As a singer she's got some similarities to alternative artists such as Björk, Stina Nordenstam or Amy X. Neuburg (actually my knowledge in this area is rather uncertain). On earlier albums there was perhaps a bigger role for ethnic instruments in the arrangements, and the overall sound was often rather dry. Now there's slightly more electronic elements to make the sound deeper and fuller. The group has done wonderful job together with producer Joonas Outakoski, using a very wide sonic pallette (there are seven band members plus three guests).

This time the lyrics are printed in the supplement, which is very good if the listener wants to get deeper into the songs on every level. But one doesn't need to concentrate on the lyrics to be impressed emotionally. The melancholic and introspective nature of the songs is accompanied by very dynamic and innovative instrumentation. The music occasionally gets bigger and more powerful. To me it's easy to name two least favourites: tracks No. 7 and 8, 'One Sun' and 'Undetermined Purple', that contain relatively harsher sound. But they are followed by a wonderful, nearly 11-minute final track 'Bigger'. The piano-centred arrangement with great variety in the tension and dynamics builds up a powerful, hair-raising listening experience.

Russian Poets is definitely the finest UTU album this far. There are some slightly artificial manners especially in Petra Poutanen's vocal style, and there certainly would be room for more progressive elements in composing itself (as there are lots of dynamics in instrumentation), but if my attempt to describe their music sounds promising to you, why not give them a try!

Already five weeks since my last PA review! Well, I've been very busy with my book script on Finnish prog all-time, but anyway I'm continuing my reviewing activity here - especially on new releases whenever I get them.

This one is the second album of UTU, a Finnish art/alt-pop group led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Petra Poutanen, also known as a member in the ethnic group AALTO . With only slight differences in line-up and instrumentation, Pieces of the Unknown continues in the vein of Songs in Flesh-minor (2012). Poutanen is a personal, modern female singer-songwriter comparable to e.g. Bj'rk or Regina Spektor, her smoky voice full of girlish sensitivity. The songs are, again, in a minor key and sort of introvert in spirit, as if the protagonist was a social outcast watching the sad world from a distance. Without a deeper dive into the lyrics I can't say if this image has anything to do with the artist's own intention.

On vague listening the album probably feels quite monotonous, joyless and too artsy for its own good. There may not be very memorable melodies, and the rather dry, ethnically flavoured sound featuring uncommon Instruments such as kantele, electric cello, viola -- and guzheng and sansula of which I have no clue -- rarely gives any easy hooks. But the more one concentrates on this music, the more rewarding it gets.

The dark-toned strings are effective on 'Safest Place', and Teemu kiiskil''s spatial guitar chords are beautifully interwoven with other Instruments on 'Skin' (which is inspired by novelist Monika Fagerholm). The 8-minute 'My Friend Sorrow' is the most progressive and dynamic composition. As a whole this album is emotionally strong and original music for dedicated listening. 3' stars.

The Finnish UTU consists of musicians from Tampere and Helsinki. This is their only album so far. And this is (my translation of) how they describe their music themselves: "We are a mind-blowing group that makes new and individual art pop. Our storytelling is a mix of contrasts, between both acoustic & electronic and styles & dynamics. When asked, the style or genre is said to be a state of emotion." The leader and sole composer is Petra Poutanen who sings - in English - and plays acoustic guitar and kantele, being probably the only Finnish pop/rock (non-folk!) artist to play kantele.

Those rather bold words are not without truth. At least for a Finnish group - even with our historical/national instrument involved - this is quite original and fresh 'art pop' and actually in no way reveals what country it comes from. Petra's seducing and slighly creaked / fragile, girlish voice does resemble some English-speaking artists but I'm not sure who. JOAN NEWSOM is one of them, and this is not just an association due to the closeness of kantele and harp (not that kantele would be very audible in the sound, as harp is certainly in Newsom's music). There is a dash of BJÖRK in the singing style, but no, she's not among those I'm trying to remember now. How about Swedish SOPHIE ZELMANI, at least in the most delicate places? Anyway, the vocals are very much in the centre; in a blindfold test I'd think this is a singer-songwriter album. A highly artistic one, of course, but I probably wouldn't have had the guts to suggest UTU into ProgArchives. Glad they're added.

The group's acoustically oriented, slightly jazzy sound is nice, emphasized on delicate nuances instead of rocky sound walls. The songwriting is totally free of folk or Ethnic flavour in my opinion, but naturally kantele, jouhikko (I don't know its translation), viola and accordion bring such elements. The dry, slow and delicate percussion is present to a notable degree. Piano sometimes. As they said, dynamics change and there's a lot of contrasts. And yet the sound seems to have a thoroughly thought nature to make the whole very coherent.

The songs are mostly balancing between calmness and some sense of unease or self-search. As pop music this is not easy-listening stuff, and it probably takes some time to get into its introspective aura. My first impression wasn't very positive but now I'm enjoying this much more. My favourites are tracks full of dreaminess and emotion, such as 'I Try'. 'Today' is too much built on percussions in a way I don't like, but even that song has beautiful, more melodic sections, occasionally.

There aren't memorable melodies in this album but once you get into the wave-length it offers an interesting and emotionally deep listening experience. Not necessarily "prog" but so what. Recommended internationally to listeners of calm, female fronted art pop, who accept some jazz & folk nuances too.