Siniaalto - s/t
(If Society 2002, If-09)
Siniaalto - s/t
(If Society 2002, If-09)
From Aural Innovations #21 (October 2002)
Tuomas Mettanen, Teemu Halmkrona and Ilai Rama are the creative force behind Finland's Siniaalto. Together they create impressive haunting soundscapes definitely keyed for the indulgence of the listener. As I lean back and relax I find headphones are necessary to get into that hypnotic feel. The sounds used are energetic and they have that distinct analogue feel to them. The album offers nearly 60 minutes worth of progressive atmospheres. It is very mellow and would be of interest to the followers of Klaus Shulze & Tangerine Dream.
The first track, 'A1', is a fantastic journey through the capabilities of analogue synthesisers. The track is 15 minutes long so it has enough time to progress into something very creative indeed. It moves through mellow motions allowing the appegiator to work its magic. The whole piece is minimalist in note but it is imaginative in depth of sound. To me the appegiator sounds very Roland, possibly the Juno 6; it has that certain earthiness that comes with Roland Keyboards. The feel is very Klaus Shulze and it is a style that penetrates throughout the CD.
The album is made up of four of such pieces, simply titled A1, A2, B3, B4. All of these tracks offer very strange experiments with sound. A lot of the stuff boarders on early Tangerine Dream and Siniaalto have captured and produced their work well. Some people would call it repetitive and slightly stagnant in its workings over time in the respect of not too much happening tempo wise and to some it would sound thrown together without thought. Nevertheless, I do not look at it as that because I like that precise thing, and if it is likewise your cup of tea, indulge it as it may offer a new avenue for your headphones.
For more information you can visit the If Society web site at: http://www.ifsociety.com/, or visit http://ut3.org.
Contact via snail mail c/o If Society; Seunalantie 1 a; 00730 Helsinki; Finland.
Reviewed by Albert Pollard