PLANETAARISET ILMANPAINEVYÖHYKKEET

From the Northern parts of the cold Finnish lands and the city of Rauma comes this group, set up in 2002 around two multi-instrumentalists, Esko Grundström and Ville Eriksson.The initial line-up featured also Jani Puistovaara on guitars, Juha Eriksson on bass and Hermanni Vuorisalo on drums.A short self-released EP saw the light in 2003, followed the next year by another private work by the group, their full-length debut ''Planetaariset ilmanpainevyöhykkeet'' (Planetary Atmospheric Pressure Zones).

The album is very short for the recent standards, just under 32 minutes long, but about 1/3 of it is taken by the long and most interesting piece of the album, ''Sopimaton jalkine''.This is very professional and irritating progressive music, where the Finnish group visits the dark ground of KING CRIMSON guitar textures and place them next to Trip Hop mannerisms, Anatolian violin solos and spacey, instrumental textures, led by floating synthesizers and nervous Electronics, maybe a bit like OZRIC TENTACLES.''Valamo'' is closer to Ambient Music with hypnotic synthesizers, just before some archaic flutes pop up around the outro, while ''Matalapaine'' shows again the OZRIC TENTACLES-side of Taipuva Luotisuora.Sharp guitar riffs meet powerful and spacey violin themes and dominant Electronic loops.''Koillispasaati'' recalls the Belgians QUANTUM FANTAY.A deep bass groove is supported by distorted guitars and cosmic synthesizers to offer the listener a nice and pounding Space Rock, while ''Korento'' comes in a very folky mood with accordions and flutes surrounded by acid, Electronic soundscapes.

This album has its moments.While a more consistent mix of Electronic/Space Rock and Folk would have really made ''Planetaariset ilmanpainevyöhykkeet'' an impressive release, as it is, the album contains plenty of atmospheric arrangements, that constantly alternate between smoother and more bombastic parts.Recommended.