Beliefs from the beyond

Every now and again, singers and musicians from decades in the past come to life again on new discs as folk musicians use archival recordings in their music. Many of the bands dabbling with "sampling" in folk music have never progressed beyond one project, but Pauanne are one of the bands that one would hope to have longer life. Spells, cattle calls, mocking sermons and herdsmen’s tunes from early 20th-century Finland are used inventively and attractively on the band’s début disc (due to be released in early 2019). 

The duo responsible for the compositions and arrangements are violinist and keyboard player Kukka Lehto and keyboard player Tero Pennanen, whose arsenal includes a prepared piano and a Hammond organ, which lend the occasional prog rock tough to the music (for instance in Susiraja, The Back of Beyond). Janne Haavisto’s drums and percussion instruments provide the rhythmic framework.

There are echoes of a more recent past too. The soft sound of Rauta (A Charm for Power over Iron) is reminiscent of lounge music à la Gotan Project, and at times one is reminded of the work of Martyn Bennett, as with Siihen laihin elänyt (That’s the Way I’ve Lived), which has a cool music video that is definitely worth checking out!

The stories of old beliefs in the booklet text foster new perspectives on the music.

Translation: Jaakko Mäntyjärvi

PAUANNE
Kukka Lehto (violin, keyboards)
Tero Pennanen (keyboards)
Janne Haavisto (drums)

Nordic Notes 2019