KAIRON; IRSE!

Keeping with post-rock tradition KAIRON; IRSE! was formed in Kaustinen, Finland in 2009 and conjured up a nonsensical name for itself followed by a debut album that featured a laboriously lengthy title THE DEFECT IN THAT ONE IS BLEACH / WE'RE HUNTING WOLVERINES. This band of Johannes Kohal (drums), Dmitry Melet (bass, violin, vocals), Lasse Luhta (guitar, synthesizers) and Niko Lehdontie (guitar) has pretty much written off this first release which has never been issued in a physical format but is at least available digitally for download.

The band made somewhat of a splash at least in the world of post-rock with its second album "Ujubasajuba" while this one has become somewhat forgotten. While implementing the same post-rock characteristics as other bands with an emphasis on timbre, texture and atmosphere, KAIRON; IRSE! mixed it's post-rock delivery system with Pink Floydian psychedelic rock and fuzzy My Bloody Valentine style shoegaze. This debut features seven tracks which run at about 40 minutes with lyrics primarily in the Finnish language. Dmitry Melet's vocals remind me of Sigur Ros at times with exaggerated falsettos but mostly they sound more like a typical indie rock band with a more gruff demeanor.

While the band's following albums offer a bit more complexity having been cited as comparable to acts as far ranging as Gentle Giant, Todd Rungren and the Flaming Lips, album #1 is more of a straight forward post-rock affair with emphasis on shoegazy atmosphere and psychedelic effects such as reverting vocals, trippy guitar tones and feedback and a laid back nonchalant procession of the tracks. The violin parts add a folky aspect to the mix while certain slow tempo tracks like "Cuscuspin" have a touch of Pink Floyd including a David Gilmour inspired guitar solo. The guitar distortion can be a bit gritty and heavy but often operates on clean lush arpeggiated motifs.

This album has been described as an immature hybrid of post-rock, shoegaze, psychedelic rock and dream pop and that's not far from the truth as the band would develop an energetic drive on its second release and become a lot more progressive. Basically this was a starting point for KAIRON; IRSE! which provided the proper warmup for finding its own voice in the crowded world of post-rock in the 21st century. While not unpleasant, THE DEFECT IN THAT ONE IS BLEACH / WE'RE HUNTING WOLVERINES also isn't very memorable. It's a nice mix of grungy guitar, shoegazy atmospheres and violin extras but the compositions are rather lackluster and obviously needed room for improvement. While the band clearly shouldn't write this off it is their weakest effort indeed.

Overlooked modern masterpiece.

Ujubasajuba isn't a typical Post Rock/Math Rock album while elements of both genres are here this is a Prog Shoegaze/Neo Psych/Space album with the for mentioned genres this is a very eclectic album and is an example of what modern prog should be, completely embracing modern sounds and making it prog. However you could argue this album rides the coattails of typical Shoegaze tropes, i think this album and band can get away with it because Shoegaze and Prog Rock have never crossed over before making this album very unique, from the instrumentation to the production this album is fantastic, in conclusion if you want a modern prog album that doesn't emulate the sounds of the 70s then this is what you want

UNDERNEATH ALL THIS...

Apart from an unscuccessful speeding up between intro to main, opening track 'Psionic Static' is a lovely piece of work: heavy, groovy, math, prog. You're thinking you're in for a real tour de force, but what do you actually get?

First, allow me to digress for a moment: there used to be a music club where I used to live. Bands played, local and touring, and for years it was a great place to go. Yet people stopped going. Why? Because the resident sound engineer and part-owner had wrecked his hearing and couldn't hear upper-mid frequencies. He therefore booted them way up in the mix, leaving a sound that physically hurt. This is what this album sounds like.

Somewhere, buried underneath layers and layers of painful sonorities and amateurish production is a truly great album. Really. In between wincing at yet another oddly EQ'd guitar noise, or suffocating stodgy electonica, or complete lack of bass frequencies, there are (or should be) moments of real transcendence.

Yet in track after track, one is left thinking how unpleasant the sound is. It's not as if they've been pushed for time (one album every three years).

This album is one of the most colourful ones in 2020 that can give me a rich musical life. As for a Finnish KAIRON; IRSE!, my mate Eetu's let me know (thanks Eetu!), and on their Bandcamp page I've got absorbed into the sleeve pic of their latest album titled "Polysomn", that has more and more impressive contents in it. They are known as a Post / Math / Psych combo in the Finnish progressive rock scene, and we can find innovative sound variations via their latest production. Under such a tough pandemic situation that makes us stay home all over the world, and at the same time in an atmosphere of populism, they have created such a wonderful diversity- possessing album for every single Post / Math / Psych fan. Not sure why they could do such a good work under the no-good condition, but we can suggest they would have had a massive potential and strong intention for making material up, and surely they completed this opus in a strict manner. The melodic / rhythmic basis is repetitive but every phrase is quite melodious and enthusiastic.

From the beginning of the first shot "Psionic Static" a mysterious fantasy appears in front of us. Psych-y Math-y electric guitar opens the curtain. Based on deep heavy guitar fuzzes, brilliant melody lines featuring dreamy chorus veil us strongly and softly. The second track "Retrograde" has definitely authentic, bright metallic texture filled with theatrical moments here and there. A slow ballad "Welcome Blue Valkyrie" is drenched in fascinating flowery perfumed water and cool earthy distortion. Another excessive opening of "An Bat None" encourages us with kinda expectation of sunshine. Massive synthesizer shower is also good. Cannot usually touch such a creative development via other productions. "Mir Inoi" is a very simple and tiny song built with safe and sound vibes. The enchanting music collective drives us into another dimension.

In "Altaïr Descends" we would get tempted to the combination of dissected guitar sounds, silky delicate synthesizer fruits, and atmospheric chorus. "Hypnogram" involves complicated but comfortable synthesizer shots and magnificent guitar illuminations. Just like the title itself, this stuff gives us mysterious invitation. "White Files" is a short, catchy, and acceptable one but their soundgarden there is brilliant and vivacious. And yes the titled epilogue is crazy flavourful and energetic, just like Millésime Champagne with powerful body and long dreamy aftertaste. Into a dreamy dream.

"Polysomn" will remind us of promising future, despite the fact we are depressed under a horrible situation worldwide.

The band name doesn't make ANY sense to me. 'Kairon' would mean 'of Cairo' in Finnish, and my only thought of 'irse' is a misspelt 'arse'. As if that strangeness wasn't enough, the band placed also " ; " and " ! " into their name. But of course, if it's meant to raise confusion and to stick out from more ordinary band names, they succeeded.

KAIRON; IRSE! is a Finnish experimental rock band that released their debut album Ruination last year. Although they're categorized here as Post-Rock, their music could be seen as Psychedelic / Space Rock as well. Noisy, distorted electric guitar is central in the trippy and dense soundscape. The cover art reflects that all. The two parts of 'Sinister Waters' are the longest tracks (at 12-13 min) and they sure offer one hell of a ride. Occasional vocal moments that are slightly softer in sound but still pretty psychedelic in spirit, some heavy stoner rock parts with the roaring guitar (and violin?) mixed very loud, and towards the end, synth-filled prog rock ecstacy reminding of the early [Todd Rundgren's] Utopia.

From that on the album unfortunately gets more and more unpleasant mess of loud, distorted playing and Post-Rock-ishly estranged singing. Guitarist Lasse Luhta is responsibe of the lyrics, which I mostly can't hear properly. At least the dynamics are powerful as the sound keeps changing from aggressive loudness to dreamier nuances. Saxophone and clarinet (played by additional musician Andreas Heino) have to fight for their audibility instead of having more distinctive guest spots in the arrangements. Vocalist-bassist Dmitry Melet plays also violin, which only underlines the gritty sonic density. 'Porphyrogennetos' is another extended track and a highlight, even though the final half gets disturbingly noisy. Especially the final title piece 'Ruination' has Anekdoten-like dynamics between soft calmness and loud, crimsonesque edginess.

Personally I often find this music is too noisy and aggressive, but I do respect the risk-taking attitude and the unpredictability. Occasional softer moments feel the more effective when they are surrounded by stoner-like heaviness. 2½ stars rounded up for avoiding compromises and for the cover art.

A peculiarly termed finnish group on this recording playing distinguished eclectic, progressive rock with frequent psychedelic flavours associated with Anekdoten, Astra and obvious King Crimson influences. The two-folded 'Sinister Water' suite is most accessible and to me most appealing of the tracks, mainly due to the high ratio of melodic and inventive instrumental passages. I am not equally thrilled when the raw psychedelic electric guitar drives the more monotonous sections that dominates some of the other songs, but the occassional pacey drum rhythms, ingenious bass lines and more symphonic touch to Starik makes that one a favourite as well. I do intermittently enjoy the record and really appreciate that this type of groups keep experimenting and expanding the genre. The highlighted tracks surely render the album worth collecting despite a few dismissive moments.