TIMELOSS

"Timeloss" is the debut full-length studio album by Swedish progressive rock act Paatos. The album was released through Stockholm Records in 2002. The version most people are familiar with is however probably the 2004 reissue through Inside Out Music. Paatos was formed in 1999 by Paatos a couple of ex-Landberk members in Stefan Dimle (Bass, double bass) and Reine Fiske (Electric and Acoustic guitars), but while the two gentlemen´s Landberk past shines through more than one time during the album´s playing time, Paatos is not just a direct continuation of Landberk under a different monicker.

The album consists of five tracks ranging from five to twelve minutes in length. The opening song "Sensor" is the most powerful of the first four songs and listening to this song it soon becomes clear that you´re in for something special on "Timeloss". Lots of vintage keyboard/synth sounds (mellotron, organ...etc.), busy drumming, heavy bass and guitar (not heavy metal style though) and to top it all a beautiful female vocal performance by Petronella Nettermalm. A succesful mix of retro progressive rock elements and more contemporary tendencies.

While I wrote heavy bass and guitars above, "Timeloss" is generally a very dynamic release, also featuring many mellow and subdued parts, so the listener is exposed to both heavy busy parts and more tranquil introspective sections. "Hypnotique" and "They Are Beautiful" are mellow beautiful songs which both manage to take the listener on an emotional journey. The same can be said about "Téa" which is another mellow song but this time featuring Swedish language lyrics. It´s melancholic, subdued, and incredibly beautiful. It builds towards a louder climax towards the end of the song, and it´s just such a great emotional composition. The the 12:17 minutes long closing track "Quits" is quite different from the remaining tracks on "Timeloss" with its relentless frantic jungle like beat which reminds me of Moloko (and other similar 90s electronic art pop groups). The vocals have a soul flavour to them and they remind me a bit of Skye Edwards from Morcheeba. The track also features some brass arrangements which give it a really different sound from the rest of the album. It´s probably a bit of a water divider and as such an aquired taste, but to my ears it works well and adds to the variation of the album.

The musicianship is on a high level on all posts. Everyone delivers skillful performances but I´m especially impressed with Huxflux Nettermalm´s drumming. What a great and busy drummer, who also knows how to show restrain during the more mellow sections of the album. He really drives the music forward in a tasteful fashion. Petronella Nettermalm is a very strong frontwoman too and deserves her share of praise. To my ears Beth Gibbons (Portishead) emotional vocal approach is a big influence on Nettermalm, but although it´s hard not to metion Gibbons (and other 90s alternative rock/electronis art pop vocalists) as an influence, Nettermalm has her own style and her performance on this album is arguably high class.

"Timeloss" features a powerful, warm, and organich sound production which suits the material perfectly, and it´s just another quality feature which makes this album the high quality product it is. The marriage of 70s progressive rock ideas and contemporary alternative pop/rock and nods toward especially the 90s British electronic art pop scene is a strange cocktail on paper, but it arguably works here and "Timeloss" is an excellent debut album by Paatos. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.